2026-03-19 19:15:27The flickering glow of the computer screen lit up Adrian Richardson’s face in a strange blue light. Occasionally, the screen made crackling noises, as if the world itself was struggling to keep up with all the information appearing on it.
He rubbed his eyes, fingers trembling slightly. The chaos outside had stopped for now but the silence only made the cold inside his chest more unbearable.
"This has to be a dream," he muttered under his breath. "Or a breakdown. Maybe I lost it somewhere between the vampire skyfall and... whatever this is."
The screen flashed again, stabilizing. Across its surface, new text scrolled slowly into view:
[DING!
System detects a time anomaly.]
[DING!
Time calibration complete!
Estimated lapse: 600 years since Templar System's creation. Updating technology suite to match modern parameters.
Weapons updated: Holy Relics → Firearms.]
[NOTIFICATION
Would you like to view the Templar System Manual? Tap here to continue.]
Adrian blinked. “Templar... what?” He stared at the floating message, caught between disbelief and a growing, hesitant curiosity.
“Well, hell, let’s see what the rabbit hole has in store.”
He tapped the flashing icon.
Immediately, the screen fragmented into ten neatly organized icons, each labeled like an interface from a high-end RPG.
[Welcome to the Templar System
1. Stats – Track health, experience, skills, and modifiers
2. Inventory – Manage items, gear, and consumables
3. Shop – Exchange gold for weapons, armor, vehicles, and more
4. Summoned Knights – Unlock and command elite AI-bound warrior units
5. Wheel of Fortune – Monthly spin for random loot
6. Daily Rewards – Log-in bonus system
7. Missions – Accept tasks, earn gold and XP
8. Survival Guide – Beginner tips for managing the apocalypse
9. Vampire Encounters – Bestiary and combat data
10. Tactics & Strategies – Combat formations and Knight directives]
Adrian’s mouth opened slightly.
"This is... insane." He looked over his shoulder instinctively, half-expecting someone to burst in and tell him it was all a prank. "I feel like I’m in one of those crazy AR survival games. But... I didn’t sign up for this.”
Still, there was no denying how methodical everything was. Too detailed to be a dream, too logical to be madness.
His finger hovered over the fourth icon.
[Summoned Knights
Command your own squad of loyal warriors.
Knights offer support in combat, logistics, reconnaissance, and survival operations. Squad size increases with level. Knights are loyal, tireless, and equipped with synchronized Templar tech.]
Adrian let out a low whistle. “So… I get my own strike team? That’s... actually kind of badass.”
With a nervous laugh, he tapped the "Shop" tab. The screen shimmered again and the list that appeared next nearly made his eyes bulge.
[Current Gold Balance: 0
Firearms – Locked
Melee Weapons – Locked
Military Vehicles – Locked
Aircraft – Locked
Drones, Equipment, Ammunition – Locked
Knights – All categories locked until future level progression.]
The categories stretched endlessly, divided into neat group: engineering units, combat recon squads, even chemical warfare divisions. Adrian scrolled with a sense of awe.
"Who built this?" he asked aloud. "This isn’t just some mystical magic nonsense—this is a damn military-grade AI. Or something worse."
A new ping snapped his attention back.
[DING!
Congratulations! As the system has been activated, you’ve received a Beginner’s Pack!
Check Inventory to claim.]
He moved swiftly to the Inventory tab. There, at the top, floated a glowing supply crate labeled “Beginner’s Pack – Tap to Open.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” Adrian said and tapped it.
The screen exploded in a flash of gold, and text spilled out like a digital loot shower:
[Beginner’s Pack Contents
10x Combat Knights
10,000 Gold Coins
Tactical SWAT Uniform (Templar Variant – Red Cross Emblem)
M4 Carbine (Purified, Suppressed, Tactical Flashlight)
6x M4 Magazines (30 Rounds Each, Purified Rounds)
Beretta M9 (Purified)
6x M9 Magazines (15 Rounds Each)
Tactical Knife
1x Combat HUD Interface Sync
Would you like to equip your new gear? Yes/No]
A thrill danced up Adrian’s spine. It was surreal, intoxicating. In the real world, this would have cost millions—if it even existed. Here, it was just... his.
He slammed Yes.
A cascade of light swirled around him. He staggered as the interface blurred, recalibrated, and suddenly, he was wearing it.
The armored vest hugged his torso, lightweight yet sturdy. The red cross on his chest glowed faintly. Knee guards, gloves, tactical belt—all there. His helmet slid on last, forming perfectly to his skull like it had always belonged there.
He flexed his fingers. His M4 appeared at his side, cool and heavy. The M9 hunged on his hip. A curved, balanced knife in a sheath at his thigh.
"This is... real," he whispered. "And perfect."
Still, one thought gnawed at the edge of his mind: Why did it feel familiar?
He opened his Skills tab. There, blinking softly:
[Weapon Proficiency – Level 1
Melee Proficiency – Level 1
Driving Proficiency – Level 1]
He tapped one.
[Skill Level can be increased with Skill Points. Skill Points are awarded through missions, combat, or level-ups. Higher skill levels increase accuracy, reload speed, reflexes, and handling.]
It all made sense. His instincts were too sharp, too rehearsed. The System had installed muscle memory. He wasn’t just being given weapons, he was being reshaped.
He gripped the M4 and looked at the door.
I could survive this, he thought. I could actually fight back.
Suddenly, a new window bloomed in front of him:
[Would you like to summon your Knights now? Yes/No]
His breath caught.
“The ones from the crate? Ten of them...”
Adrian’s pulse thundered in his ears. He looked around. The ruined warehouse floor was open enough. “Do it,” he said aloud.
The answer was clear. Yes.
Ten glowing magic circles formed on the ground, surrounding him in a perfect arc. Light erupted from each one, and out of the vortex stepped tall, armored figures uniformed just like him. Helmets gleaming. Rifles held tight across their chests.
Each man and woman stood with perfect posture, eyes hidden behind black visors, energy radiating from their forms.
Then, in unison, they slammed their fists over their hearts.
“We are ready to receive your orders, Commander!”
Adrian took a step back, overwhelmed. “Holy shit…”
He looked into the visor of the nearest Knight. No sign of hesitation. No question. No humanity either but that didn’t scare him.
He felt something ignite inside him. Something dangerous.
He smiled.
“All right,” he said slowly, raising his weapon. “We’re not gonna die in the dark. Let’s see what you can do.”
And with that, the war for survival had finally begun.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
BEFORE THE ACTION
The makeshift command room on the top floor of the high-rise was silent except for the quiet rustle of plastic and the hum of generators somewhere below. Adrian sat cross-legged on a steel table, surrounded by several neatly stacked boxes stamped MRE - SYSTEM SUPPLY. He peeled back the cardboard of one packet like it was an alien artifact.“So this is what the military eats during the end of the world,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.A few feet away, Mark stood alert, arms behind his back, waiting for instructions. His expression was calm, composed, with the distinct bearing of someone who knew what he was doing.“Mark,” Adrian called out, holding up a sealed brown pouch. “Be honest with me—how do you eat this thing?”Mark approached with a faint smile. “Is there something you need, sir?”Adrian raised the MRE as if it might explode. “Yeah. I’ve never touched one of these in my life. I’ve seen them in movies. That’s about it.”“Ah, understood. Allow me.” Mark took the
FROM THE UNIVERSITY
Several hours earlier...The sky outside had already begun to darken, a dusky purple bleeding through the clouds as evening crept across the city. The lights in the hallways flickered with inconsistent power, and the once-vibrant campus of the Technological Engineering Institute had become a place of fearful whispers and cold silence.Inside a third-floor classroom, the windows were barricaded with desks and metal chairs, and the doors were reinforced with what little furniture the students could find. The air was stale, thick with anxiety, sweat, and the quiet static of fear. A dozen university students, most still in uniform, clustered in uneasy silence around a single figure near the window.Raina stood tall, her long silver hair catching the weak light that filtered through the blinds. Her posture was graceful, though tense, like a dancer in the moment before a leap. She held her phone tightly to her chest after ending a call, her fingers trembling as she turned to face the others
FORTRESS RISING
Mission: Secure a FortThe air in the penthouse was thick with sweat and anticipation. Steel-clad knights lined the walls like sardines in a tin can, their helmets reflecting the pale flicker of ceiling lights. Adrian Richardson stood by the panoramic windows, arms crossed, watching the distant horizon where smoke curled from fires long lost to the dead.He turned slowly to face the assembled troops—summoned knights in formation, waiting on his word. "We’ve got a job ahead of us," Adrian said, voice firm. "This isn't just about killing vampires. It's about carving out a sanctuary."He stepped away from the window, walking across the hardwood floor, boots thudding softly. “This plan, this mission—was made with the first ten of you I brought into this world. You know how ugly things can get. The objective is clear: secure all three condominium towers. Every floor. Every unit. Every bathroom. Nothing lives unless I say it does.”A few of the knights stirred at his tone—less alarmed, more
STAY SAFE
The penthouse sat silent at the top of the thirty-second floor, its luxury ruined by the chaos below. Adrian stepped inside with urgency, barely sparing the lavish surroundings a glance before walking straight toward the towering glass wall that overlooked the city. He pressed a hand against the windowpane, cool to the touch, and looked down.What greeted him was no different from the horror he had witnessed hours ago—only now, it seemed worse. Smoke drifted like tendrils through broken streets, fire flickered in alleys, and the agonizing screams of civilians were muffled by distance but ever present. The Pawns—those twisted, mindless vampires still prowled the ground, chasing people like crazy dogs. He narrowed his eyes, scanning deeper.Odd. No sign of the mutated beasts from earlier. No towering monsters, no ugly spider-limbed freaks.“Could they have migrated toward more populated areas?” he muttered.A noise behind him made him turn. One by one, the Knights entered the penthouse,
TEETH OF THE BATTLE
The air was dense with the metallic scent of spent gunpowder and blood as Adrian Richardson, flanked by his summoned Knights, descended another floor of the tower. His boots echoed against broken tiles, each step calculated, deliberate. The flashing lights above barely held off the growing dark shadows moving along the walls."Clear," Alpha 3 announced, his M4 Carbine sweeping left to right.Adrian nodded, eyes sharp. “Move on. Keep formation tight.”As they passed through each floor, Adrian's system interface flickered with new information. His attention drifted to two tabs he'd previously ignored: Vampire Encounters and Basic Survival Guide.[Vampire Encounter Updated: Variant Identified – PAWN]A new entry materialized in the digital bestiary. Adrian paused at the top of a stairwell and brought it into focus.[PAWNLow-tier Vampire ClassAgile, aggressive, hive-minded. Weakness: decapitation or cranial destruction.Behavior: Predatory and relentless. Fast movers.Classification: Ur
THE SUMMONER'S FIRST COMMAND
Adrian stood in the middle of the bloodstained living room, surrounded by ten armored figures still saluting with impeccable discipline. Though their expressions were hidden behind their visored helmets, their eyes visible through reinforced lenses reflected a startling humanity. He blinked once. Twice. These soldiers looked too real. Not like digital constructs or NPCs from some game.“Are they… human?” he muttered under his breath, suspicion curling in his gut.A soft chime sounded in the air, and with a flicker of pale blue light, a new holographic screen materialized before his eyes:[The Knights you summoned are military-trained human beings. They possess the knowledge, skills, and expertise required to perform their assigned tasks. As for their memories, they are created with none. Their only recollections will originate from the moment they are summoned. Additionally, being human, they experience hunger, require sustenance, can form interpersonal relationships, and most importa
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