*DING*
[Congratulations! You've unlocked Hidden Quest #1 (Permanent): Bear for the Future. Reward: 2 Charm Points, 1000 EXP, 1000 Survival Points, 1 Inventory Slot, 1 Fertility Pill]
*DING*
[You have leveled up!]
*DING*
[You have leveled up!]
*DING*
[You have leveled up!]
*DING*
[Congratulations! Your Space has leveled up.]
*DING*
[Name: Lucian Wang]
Level: 5 (1150/1500 EXP)
Strength: 16/50 [+]
Agility: 11/50 [+]
Endurance: 19/50 [+]
Speed: 13/50 [+]
Charm: 22/50 [+]
Skill Points: 0
Inventory Slots: 3/4 [+]
• Teleportation Pill (1)
• System Manual
• Fertility Pill (1)
Survival Points: 1170
Quest: [1 Available]
Hidden Quest: [1 Available]
Space: (Level 2)
*DING*
[Hidden Quest 1(Permanent): Bear for the Future]
Name: Lucian Wang
Age: 2 0
Gender: Male
Trait: Alpha (Dominant)
Race: Human
Lovers: Cyril McKenzie [Check Info].
Children: 0
Rewards: Childcare Package
*DING*
[Name: Cyril McKenzie]
Age: 2 7
Gender: Male
Trait: Omega (Recessive)
Profession: Doctor
Race: Human
Children: 0
Lucian frowned at the floating screens before him. He had just woken up to the chime of system notifications that bombarded him with surprises. Not only had he leveled up after a blissful, passionate night, but he'd also somehow unlocked a hidden quest because of it.
Dismissing the rest of the notifications, he focused on the three that remained hovering in the air: his Status Screen, the Hidden Quest, and Cyril's Information Screen.
'So, I'll get rewards for having a child with my lovers? Lucian mused, frowning as he read the quest details. I understand the need to repopulate during an apocalypse, but why does the system emphasize "Race"? Isn't this supposed to be just a zombie-type apocalypse, like my friends and I guessed?'
Lucian exhaled softly, the faint sigh enough to stir the omega sleeping beside him.
"Mmh… what's wrong?" Cyril murmured, his voice groggy and gentle.
Lucian glanced down—and couldn't help but pause in quiet awe.
Cyril's dark hair spilled like ink across the white sheets that still bore traces of their passion. Faint marks of Lucian's love were scattered over his porcelain skin; the corners of his eyes were tinted red from the tears he'd shed while moaning Lucian's name, and his lips remained slightly swollen from their endless kisses.
The sight alone threatened to rekindle Lucian's desire, but he quickly reminded himself that Cyril was still exhausted—they hadn't stopped until nearly dawn.
Gulping, Lucian forced his gaze away, willing his body to calm. The omega's peaceful beauty was a test of his morning restraint.
"Nothing, sweetheart. You can go back to sleep—I'll wake you later," Lucian murmured, his voice gentle and tender.
With his eyes still closed, Cyril hummed in acknowledgment and shifted closer, curling against Lucian's side until he found a comfortable spot in his arms. The sight made Lucian's heart soften; he couldn't help but find the omega utterly endearing.
'Even if the system wants me to have children, I won't force any of them,' he thought, pressing a gentle kiss to Cyril's hair and inhaling the faint floral scent that lingered there.
He wasn't like those alphas that saw omegas merely as breeding partners. He wanted to love them, cherish them, and respect their choices, especially when it came to something as life-changing as bringing a child into the world. In an apocalypse where even adults struggled to survive, how could a child possibly endure?
Lucian sighed quietly. 'There's no time limit anyway. I'll set this aside for now.'
Closing his eyes, Lucian turned his focus inward, checking the changes within his space.
He immediately sensed that the space had expanded significantly. Not far from the warehouse, a river had appeared, with a well standing beside it. Excitement stirred in his chest—now he wouldn't have to worry about water shortages if the power ever went out.
He examined the river more closely. The water was crystal clear, flowing gently over smooth rocks carpeted with moss. Tiny fish and shrimp darted about, their movements lively and bright beneath the surface.
Lucian frowned, glancing toward the two ponds nearby—one freshwater, the other seawater—but both appeared empty.
Then where did these little creatures come from? He wondered, his curiosity piqued.
Curious, Lucian followed the river upstream, eager to find its source. What he discovered left him speechless.
The river began from a magnificent waterfall cascading down a distant cliff, its mist shimmering in the air. But the cliff itself was shrouded in a dense, silvery fog so thick it obscured everything beyond it.
He tried to approach, but an invisible force stopped him cold, solid and unyielding like a wall of stone.
'A barrier?' he thought, frowning.
Turning back, Lucian followed the river downstream, hoping to find an exit, but the end of the flow was the same—another wall of thick mist blocking his path.
'Maybe I need to level up to unlock this area,' he thought, a mix of curiosity and determination flickering in his mind.
*PING*
*PING*
*PING*
*PING*
Lucian opened his eyes and glanced at the phone resting on the nightstand.
After closing the system interface, he carefully reached for it, mindful not to wake the omega still sleeping in his arms. The screen lit up, showing that it was already 8:30 a.m. He sighed softly. That meant he'd only managed about four hours of sleep.
Then again, he couldn't really complain. It had been his first time in twenty years, and he was still young and full of energy. Besides, Cyril had been… exceptionally enticing.
A quiet chuckle escaped his lips at the memory, amused by his own thoughts.
*PING*
*PING*
A notification flashed across his phone screen, and Lucian couldn't help but roll his eyes when he saw who it was from.
Opening the chat, he skimmed through the messages his ever-annoying friends were spamming in their group.
[Mount Evra, the third-largest volcano on Blue Star, located in Country T, just erupted without warning—hundreds confirmed dead.]
[Are the glaciers melting now? Must be the effect of the global heat wave.]
[Blue Star Astronomical and Meteorological Organization reports that the planet may experience a large-scale cold wave this year.]
[Breaking News: A Category 4 typhoon is forming on the eastern side of Blue Star and is expected to make landfall in Xia Country by Sunday.]
[Breaking News: Massive 8.9 magnitude earthquakes occurred simultaneously in Countries F, S, N, and R.]
[Leo the Great: For reference, about this possible Zombie Apocalypse, I asked Zero to send me some novels and movies. I noticed that a lot of them also include natural disasters. So, when I saw the news about the earthquakes in other countries and that incoming Category 4 typhoon, I decided to dig a little deeper. Turns out, tons of strange things have been happening since last year—like that unbearable heat wave. Coincidence or not, we should start preparing, especially by reinforcing our shelters. @ DeluLucian @ CrazyClay @ Neothepets]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Wait, are you saying that aside from this "zombie apocalypse" theory, we should also prepare for natural disasters?]
[Leo the Great: Exactly.]
[Neothepets: So… you mean like those end-of-the-world movies? [trembling_dog.gif]]
[CrazyClay: Fuck—don't tell me it's actually the end of the world?! [scared_cat.gif]]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Fuck!]
As Lucian scrolled through the messages, a cold sense of dread crept over him.
Like Leo said—coincidence or not—anyone would be terrified realizing the world they lived in might truly be nearing its end. But what unsettled Lucian more was the feeling that it wasn't just speculation. Deep down, he knew it was true. After all, he had the Apocalypse Survival Guide System—and that couldn't be a coincidence.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied his thoughts and began to type
[DeluLucian: End of the world or not, we have to survive this—no matter what.]
[Leo the Great: Lucian's right. Even if it's still just a hypothesis, we should start preparing—especially with the recent news about the typhoon and the possible cold waves. For the typhoon, we should reinforce our shelters to withstand strong winds and heavy rain. Regarding the cold wave, an article about it was published last month, but it didn't receive much attention. I skimmed through it and even asked some of my contacts—they confirmed it's authentic.]
[CrazyClay: Hmmm… a cold wave, huh? We should stock up on firewood and winter clothes, just in case.]
[DeluLucian: We should also prepare for possible floods or flash floods during the typhoon. @ CrazyClay, your ancestral home is near the mountains, right?]
[CrazyClay: Yeah, I'll let my grandparents know about it. Thanks for the reminder.]
[Leo the Great: @ DeluLucian, is your apartment building high enough? The possibility of a tsunami can't be ruled out since our city is near the coast. You can stay at my place if it gets bad.]
[CrazyClay: Same here.]
[Neothepets: Don't forget about mine too! [waving_kid.gif]]
Lucian couldn't help but smile as he read his friends' messages. You're welcome to stay at my place if it gets bad.
[DeluLucian: Thanks, everyone, but don't worry—my apartment's high enough.]
It wasn't a lie. His apartment was located far from both the sea and the city center. One of the main reasons his parents had chosen the building was its advanced flood-control systems and emergency equipment. And though it didn't have many floors, each unit was built with high ceilings—two floors' worth of space in one. Living on the tenth floor meant his home was equivalent to the nineteenth or even twentieth floor of a regular apartment building.
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: When you say cold wave, do you mean like… Ice Age-level cold?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: I think we should base it on the insane heat wave we had last year.]
[Neothepets: Damn, that year was unbearable. [annoyed_cat.gif]]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Tell me about it. I felt like I was getting fried every time I stepped outside. And those constant blackouts? I lost my winning streak on LAL because of them! [angry_emoji]]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: With how unpredictable the weather's been, we shouldn't rule out another heat wave happening again.]
[Neothepets: Argh, please no! I'd rather have a cold wave all year than go through that heat again.]
[CrazyClay: Honestly, I'd rather not experience either.]
[Neothepets: Why do I feel like we're turning into some kind of apocalyptic cult or conspiracy group with all this speculation and doomsday prepping?]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Speaking of apocalypse cults—someone posted a warning about the danger of the virus on an anonymous site. Ever since then, those so-called "cultists" have been flooding different platforms with end-of-the-world posts. The government even released an official statement last night, telling netizens not to panic and dismissing the rumors as fake news. They said the virus was under control and that any posts spreading fear would be taken down. And sure enough, everything got wiped out overnight.]
Lucian couldn't help but chuckle. He was the one who'd posted that warning—and he'd been so busy hoarding supplies that he hadn't even realized all that chaos had happened overnight.
[CrazyClay: They really have no plan to inform the public about the virus. [disappointed.gif] My dad's been monitoring the situation, and he found out that as of last night, Ameron already has over 50 confirmed infections—way more than what the news is reporting. And worse, the new cases are more aggressive than before.]
[Neothepets: What?! That's freaking terrifying! Can they even handle that? [trembling_cat.gif]]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: So that means BSHO also knows about the rising number of infections and decided to hide it? And they're working with that shady Celestial Pharmaceuticals, too? Damn, these corrupt organizations! [angry_bulldog.gif]]
Lucian frowned as he read their messages. It was exactly as he feared—the government and those organizations knew how dangerous the virus was, yet they chose to bury the truth for the sake of profit and control.
[DeluLucian: If the government's in on it, then we're on our own.]
He sent the message, but his mind soon drifted back to his earlier speculation about the word "Race" mentioned in his system.
[DeluLucian: @ZeroAlwaysTheHero, aside from natural disasters and zombie apocalypses, are there other kinds of apocalyptic settings?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Hmm? Yeah—like alien invasions, robot uprisings, or nuclear wars.]
[DeluLucian: Can you send me the links to those novels or movies?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Sure.]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Oh, and don't forget that world-merge apocalypse you told me about, Zero. I'll send that novel to you too, Lucian—it was a good one.]
Lucian raised a brow, intrigued.
[DeluLucian: When you say "world merge," do you mean those fantasy stories where dragons, goblins, and other mythical creatures start appearing in our world?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Exactly. Why?]
'What if it's not just a zombie or natural-disaster apocalypse… but a world merge?
The virus and its symptoms might point toward zombies, but what if that's only part of it? What if… this apocalypse doesn't follow a single setting at all…'
"But combines several at once…" Lucian muttered under his breath, his eyes widening as the thought hit him.
His face paled as the realization sank in.
[Neothepets: Eh? Alien invasion? Nuclear war? World merger? Are we doom-posting a little too much?]
[CrazyClay: Yeah, Lucian, I think you're overthinking this.]
[Leo the Great: Lucian… do you know something we don't?]
Lucian bit his lip as he read their messages, especially Leonielle's.
Maybe they were right. Maybe he was overthinking it. But deep down, his gut screamed otherwise. Something about this apocalypse felt different… as if there was more to it than anyone realized.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and think clearly. For several minutes, he weighed the pros and cons of telling them the truth. During that time, not a single new message appeared in the chat. His friends were waiting patiently, giving him space to decide.
Lucian smiled faintly at their quiet understanding before exhaling slowly.
[DeluLucian: You might think I'm just being delusional, but what I'm about to say is real.]
Finally making up his mind, Lucian decided to tell them everything. He even started a short video call, demonstrating how he could take items out of thin air—directly from his space. When the call ended, he sent a voice message explaining his system and his growing suspicion about the possible multi-setting apocalypse they might be facing.
The chat went silent for a few seconds.
[CrazyClay: …Bro, what the actual fuck did I just see! [mindblow_streamer.gif]
[Neothepets: No, that didn't look fake. There was no cut, no transition. [total_shocked.gif]]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Holy shit… so those crazy system-novel stories are real?!]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Are we going ignore the person beside Lucian? And why is he naked? [TheStone_raising_eyebrow.gif]]
Lucian chuckled, staring at the screen as the messages poured in.
[Leo the Great: …If what you're saying is true, then this changes everything.]
Another wave of silence followed.
Lucian sighed and turned to glance at Cyril, who was now fully awake. The omega's face was pale—almost as white as the sheets beneath him.
'He must've heard everything.'
[DeluLucian: Leonielle is right. I still don't know what kind of apocalypse this will be, but one thing's for sure—we must be ready for anything and survive it, even if it truly is the end of the world.]