Deep within a remote and heavily fog-shrouded US military base, time seemed to be trapped in an eternal twilight. The dim lights in the corridors flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls, as if countless ghosts were dancing, rendering the entire space oppressively somber.

　　The base's perimeter was surrounded by thick metal walls that pierced the sky, with electrified barbed wire that flashed with menacing sparks, each strand emitting a silent warning. The heavily armed guards, clad in thick camouflage uniforms and steel helmets, stood like silent statues at their posts, their vigilant eyes scanning every inch of the ground, missing nothing. This was the core area where secrecy and danger coexisted, a massive and icy laboratory where a life-or-death, fate-deciding experiment was about to unfold.

　　"Doctor, can this virus really become the miracle cure for incurable diseases as we hope?" asked young researcher Lily, her eyes filled with doubt, her clear gaze clouded by an uneasy mist as she looked at Dr. Jackson, the chief scientist with white hair and deep, determined eyes. Her soft voice was barely audible in the deathly silent laboratory, yet it was like a stone cast into a still lake, briefly breaking the suffocating tension.

　　Dr. Jackson's brow furrowed, his weathered face etched with the marks of time, now even more somber due to his inner turmoil.

　　He tightly grasped the container holding the mysterious virus sample, which felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, its icy touch seeping through his gloves to his palm, reminding him of the unknown risks ahead. He spoke slowly, "From our initial analysis, it has an astonishing ability to repair damaged human cells, theoretically capable of conquering incurable diseases. However, this virus is too mysterious, and our understanding of it is only the tip of the iceberg."

　　His gaze, through thick lenses, fixed on the tube emitting an eerie glow, like an explorer peering into a bottomless dark cave, filled with both awe for the unknown and a strong desire to save lives.

　　On one side of the laboratory, twelve death row inmates were confined in specially designed isolation cells.

　　They seemed like abandoned children, their eyes varied - some were numb, as if they had long given up on life, their empty gazes like stagnant water; some were terrified, their bodies twisting, sweat dripping down their faces, their eyes filled with fear of the impending event; others showed a glimmer of determination, a last stand against fate, as if grasping for a thread of hope, no matter how perilous. These individuals, condemned for unforgivable crimes, had become the "volunteers" for this perilous experiment.

　　"Hmph, we're all doomed anyway, maybe this thing will let me live a bit longer," sneered a burly death row inmate with a cruel gaze, his laughter piercing the fragile silence like a sharp sword, echoing with a reckless disregard for fate, as if he were not facing a life-or-death decision but rather an insignificant gamble.

　　"You're just dreaming, this virus might turn us into monsters," trembled a frail inmate beside him, his body quivering like a leaf in the wind, his teeth chattering, his eyes filled with an unspeakable terror, a deep-seated fear that seemed to have already witnessed his own tragic demise.

　　As Dr. Jackson gave the order, the researchers carefully injected the mysterious virus into the twelve death row inmates. Their hands, clad in protective gloves, trembled slightly, the tremors transmitted to the syringe, making the liquid inside quiver under the light, emitting an eerie glow. Initially, everything seemed calm, the inmates merely shuddering slightly, as if brushed by a gentle breeze, without any abnormal reactions.

　　However, the situation soon took a drastic turn. One of the inmates suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream, the sound slicing through the laboratory's silence, echoing in the empty space, sending chills down the spines of those present. His body contorted like it was being burned by a fierce fire, muscles tensed, veins bulging, every muscle convulsing in agony, as if countless insects were writhing beneath his skin. His eyes turned blood-red, like burning flames, radiating an unbridled ferocity and savagery, his teeth lengthening and sharpening, glinting in the light like a beast's fangs.

　　"What...what's happening?" Lily retreated in terror, her face deathly pale, her voice trembling with despair and helplessness, her body shaking violently. Her cry was like a mournful melody, a desperate plea amidst the chaos.

　　"This isn't supposed to happen!" Dr. Jackson's face was also filled with shock and panic, his usual composure lost. He and the other researchers frantically checked the monitoring data, but the readings were chaotic and disorderly, the numbers and curves on the screens dancing wildly like unbridled horses, as if influenced by an unknown force. The instruments emitted shrill alarms, the red warning lights flashing incessantly, plunging the laboratory into chaos, with people's shouts, footsteps, and the cacophony of alarms creating a symphony of death and despair.

　　Soon, the remaining inmates also underwent the same terrifying transformation. They broke free from their restraints, the supposedly unbreakable chains that had held them captive now snapping like brittle toys in the face of their newfound strength. Their bodies became incredibly powerful, their movements swift and ferocious, as they shattered the glass walls of their isolation cells. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the laboratory, a chilling melody that heralded the arrival of disaster.

　　"Run!" someone shouted, the cry igniting a spark of fear and the will to survive in the hearts of those present. The laboratory descended into chaos, researchers fleeing in all directions, papers and equipment scattered on the floor, creating a cacophony of sounds. The transformed inmates, now resembling vampires, opened their mouths wide, revealing their razor-sharp fangs, and pounced on the nearest person.

　　Blood splattered on the cold laboratory walls, like a gruesome painting, the vibrant red contrasting starkly with the icy white walls, making it all the more ghastly. The cries of terror echoed through every corner, the sounds of life fading into the darkness. The once-ordered laboratory had become a living hell, where death and terror reigned supreme. Dr. Jackson, amidst the chaos, desperately sought a solution, his heart filled with regret and self-blame, his mind replaying the moment he decided to conduct this experiment. If only he could turn back time, he would never have been so reckless. His forehead was drenched in sweat, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of despair, but more so, a determination to act.

　　Just then, he remembered his six-year-old niece, Amy, her innocent smile and pure gaze illuminating the darkness within him. He knew that if he couldn't stop this disaster, the entire world would plunge into eternal darkness. And Amy, perhaps, was the last hope.

　　Dr. Jackson, under the cover of his loyal colleagues, made his way to the vault storing the only vaccine. Along the way, he witnessed the carnage, his former colleagues and friends falling prey to the vampires. Corpses lay scattered, some with limbs torn off, blood pooling on the floor, the stench of death hanging in the air, making him nauseous. With each step, he felt as if he was walking on his own heart, the pain unbearable, yet his footsteps didn't falter.

　　When he finally obtained the vaccine, the vampires closed in, their movements swift and deadly, their eyes gleaming with a hungry light, their low growls like a pack of starving beasts. Dr. Jackson's body trembled, but his eyes remained resolute. He clutched the vaccine tightly, as if holding the fate of the world, the cold syringe now his only source of warmth and hope.

　　He turned to make his way to a secret underground bunker, a safe haven he had prepared for emergencies. His footsteps were heavy and labored, echoing through the empty corridors, his breathing rapid and coarse, his heart pounding in his ears. Yet, his mind was focused on a single thought: protect Amy. In the final moment, he saw Amy, cowering in a corner, her small body trembling with fear, tears streaming down her face.

　　"Amy, don't be afraid. Uncle's here to protect you," Dr. Jackson whispered, his voice gentle and firm, though his heart was filled with fear and uncertainty. He injected the vaccine into Amy's body with precision, his hands shaking, yet his movements deliberate, each step filled with his deep love and last hope for his niece, as if performing a sacred ritual.

　　He then placed Amy in a specially designed cryogenic chamber within the bunker. "Amy, sleep. Hopefully, when you wake up, the world will be at peace again." Dr. Jackson's eyes were filled with a deep longing and a glimmer of hope, his heart heavy with the weight of his sacrifice, yet resolute in his determination to safeguard Amy's life, to leave a glimmer of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.

　　As the vampires breached the last line of defense and stormed the bunker, Dr. Jackson stood tall, facing the monsters. His face, once filled with fear, now showed a sense of acceptance and resolve, a steadfast commitment to his principles. He knew his life was about to end, but as long as he could give Amy a chance to live, everything was worth it...