The sky turned a deep, unnatural red.
Thunder rumbled across the blackened horizon—not from storms, but from portals ripping open in the sky. The countdown had ended.
[ Threat Wave Commencing ]
You are being transported to a frontline zone. Stay alive. Deliver survivors. Earn coins. Protect your vehicle at all costs.
Lian barely had time to blink before his body was enveloped in a flash of white light. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in camp.
He was on a broken highway hanging over a ruined city—sky-scrapers crumbling, fire in the distance, monsters roaming in the shadows below.
Zone: Tier 2 Level 4 - Devastia: Sector 9B (Hot Zone)
Behind him, Demist appeared, along with three other drivers—two on modified scooters and one in a heavily armored jeep.
"We're really in it now," Demist muttered, gripping his axe. "Let's just try to live."
[ Global Announcement ]
Incoming monster wave: Estimated strength – 1,000+ entities
Rescue and evacuation points active.
Protect evacuees. Every saved life increases reward tier.
Lian hopped into his rickshaw, shield glowing faintly, and immediately saw two NPC survivors flagging him down—an old man and a limping soldier.
"Get in!" he shouted, pulling them in and locking the side rails.
From the end of the highway, the first wave came.
They weren't slow.
They were fast, twisted things—half-human, half-mechanical. Their screeches were like tortured metal, and their claws sparked as they hit the pavement.
[ Auto-Turret Activated ]
Targeting… Engaging.
The top of Lian's rickshaw rotated with deadly precision, blasting down the lead creatures. The recoil shook the vehicle, but he held firm, steering toward the first checkpoint glowing in the distance.
"COME ON!" he roared, swerving past wreckage and other drivers, who were all trying to survive in their own lanes.
One scooter exploded behind him—too slow, too light. The other rickshaw driver tried to circle back, but was overrun.
Lian gritted his teeth. "Focus. Save who you can."
He slid into the checkpoint zone with seconds to spare.
[ Evacuation Successful – +100 Coins | +2 Organism Bonus: +40 Coins ]
Total Coins: 11,410
More survivors appeared on his map. More chaos. More monsters.
He didn't stop.
---
Six Hours Later
Sweat dripped down his brow. His rickshaw was dented, scratched, the turret half-melted, the shield generator at 14% power.
But he was alive. And more importantly—so were dozens of survivors.
Current Tally:
Rescued Survivors: 27
Monsters Defeated (Turret & Demist): 86
Coins Earned Today: 9,700
Total Coins: 21,110
Rank: Top 5% of Earth Survivors
Lian stopped at a high vantage point overlooking the burning city. It was quiet—for now.
Demist sat nearby, bandaging his arm.
"You did good, kid," he said, tossing him a bottle of water.
Lian took it, gulped. Then checked the system.
A new prompt blinked.
[ New Milestone Unlocked: Bronze Driver Rank ]
Rewards: +1 Permanent Stat Point to All Attributes | New Vehicle Options Unlocked | Access to Guild Creation Feature
[ Special Notification: You have been noticed by the System Overseer. ]
Lian raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is a system overseer?"
Then, as if in answer, a line of golden text appeared across the sky:
[ "You're progressing too fast, Lian. I'll be watching you." – ??? ]
He felt a cold chill crawl down his spine. Not from fear. From realization.
This wasn't a random apocalypse.
He was being tested.
And he was just getting started.
---
To Be Continued…