Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Around them, the once-quiet base came alive. Dozens of soldiers ran across the camp—some clearly NPCs following precise routines, others players, their movements clumsy or erratic in comparison. It was a chaotic blend of human unpredictability and programmed precision.

Jester and Lily weren’t the only newcomers. Squads were forming all across the outer field, and Lily could see groups assembling near other barricades—shouting, laughing, or testing out their weapons before the battle began. Holographic drones hovered overhead.

”There are... a lot of people here,” Lily murmured, watching a formation of armored vehicles roll past them.

”Most are NPCs,” Jester replied after a moment, ”but some—” he pointed at a group where two soldiers were jumping repeatedly into a sandbag wall, ”—are definitely real players.”

Lily laughed softly despite herself. The mixture of real and fake made the place feel more alive than it should have.

Unknown to either of them, however, someone else had already noticed their presence. Or rather, noticed him.

Far above the simulated battlefield, a hovering camera drone zoomed in on the squad below. Its operator—a popular game streamer known as HexaNova—was broadcasting live to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

”Okay, chat,” HexaNova said, adjusting her headset as she scanned through the crowded outpost. ”Looks like we’re dropping into a public session this time. Let’s see what kind of chaos we can find before the aliens spawn.”

The chat flooded with emotes and scrolling text:

’Show us the new players!’

’Noobs incoming!’

’Bet half of them can’t even aim!’

Her drone camera drifted past one squad, then another—until it caught sight of Jester standing beside Lily, his posture calm and his expression serious as he checked his weapon.

HexaNova paused mid-sentence.

”...Wait. Chat, hold on—does that guy look familiar to anyone else?”

The scrolling comments erupted again.