The bunker was quiet, unnervingly so. Even with the usual foot traffic and chatter among the newly trained recruits, I could feel something crawling under the surface—like fire waiting to ignite. Ever since the explosives training began, I'd noticed an edge to the atmosphere. People moved with more intent, more purpose... but also with more tension.
System Notification: [Explosives Training - Progress: 22/25 Complete] [Task: Complete Training Without Raising Suspicion] [Optional Bonus: Ensure Recruits Pass Field Test]
Just three more. But it wasn't just about teaching them to build grenades or rig pressure mines. It was about teaching them how to think like I do—methodical, cautious, prepared. That kind of knowledge was dangerous in the wrong hands. But necessary in mine.
Ray joined me near the edge of the inner compound. He held a folded map and looked more exhausted than usual.
"Scouts confirmed movement on the northern ridge. Looks like another survivor band, might be from the Red Claw faction."
I frowned. "They picking a fight?"
"Hard to say. Could be scouting us the way UNO did. We're getting attention now, James. Too much."
I nodded slowly, eyes scanning the treeline. "We need to be ready. Reinforce our outer traps. And... bump up the field test. The trainees need real pressure."
Ray raised an eyebrow. "You're putting them through live conditions?"
"Yes. Quietly. We can't afford half-measures anymore."
--
By nightfall, I had the last three trainees in the makeshift workshop. Erika watched from the shadows, acting as a second pair of eyes. She still bore the scars of the last operation, but she volunteered for this. She trusted me.
As I handed each of them the parts to assemble a timed grenade, I studied their hands. Shaky, hesitant, but improving.
"Precision is your shield out there," I said. "A single miscalculation doesn't just kill your target. It kills you. Or your friends."
Their faces tightened. That was good. Fear meant they understood the stakes.
System Notification: [Explosives Training Complete: 25/25] [Field Test Optional Objective Available]
I dismissed them after an hour and turned to Erika. "Prep a patrol near the riverbank. Quiet op. I want them to set mines along the eastern trail. We'll monitor from afar."
She nodded. "You sure they're ready?"
"No. But they have to be."
--
Later that night, I activated the system and accepted the optional objective.
System Update: [Bonus Objective Accepted - Trainee Field Test Activated]
And with it, a new reward notification appeared:
[Success: Receive Armored Vehicle Blueprint - Location Locked: High-Risk Zone - Grid X28-Y17] [Failure: Risk Detection + Morale Drop]
I marked the coordinates in my internal map and sighed. The location was close to a previous war zone, now crawling with ferals and possible scavenger bands. We'd need to hit it soon.
But first, the trainees.
--
From a concealed vantage point, I watched the group of five plant the mines. Their movements were a bit clumsy but functional. Leah, once shaky, was now confidently checking fuse timers.
Vivian crouched beside me. "You made soldiers out of farmers and cooks."
"I made survivors."
There was a moment of silence between us. Then a sudden noise—a snapping branch.
We froze.
Through the scope, I saw a small pack of wild ferals approaching the trail. The trainees didn't see them.
"Do we intervene?" Vivian asked.
"Not unless we have to. This is part of the test."
It was cruel. But necessary.
The ferals got closer, sniffing at the disturbed dirt where the landmines were planted.
Then—boom. One misstep, and the forest lit up with a thunderous blast. The rest of the ferals scattered, yelping.
The trainees dove for cover, but none were hit.
Success.
Vivian whistled. "I'll be damned."
System Notification: [Optional Objective Complete - Trainees Passed Field Test] [Reward Available]
I opened the reward tab.
[Blueprint Unlocked: Armored Tactical Vehicle - Code Name: "Warden"]
[Location Confirmed: Grid X28-Y17 - Proceed with Caution]
--
The next morning, I stood before the camp, the trainees lined up behind me.
"We tested them," I announced. "Not with words, but with fire. And they passed."
Cheers erupted. For a moment, hope outweighed fear. Confidence surged.
But under that joy, I was already planning the next move. We needed that vehicle. And I needed to make the journey quietly, without attracting the UNO's attention.
Later, alone in my quarters, I opened the encrypted map and stared at the marked location.
Warden. A name that implied strength. Defense.
I whispered to myself, "One more piece of the puzzle. Then we move to the next stage."
But in the back of my mind, a question lingered:
What would happen when others realized just how fast we were growing?
Would they come to join us?
Or would they come to tear us apart?