The abandoned military town loomed before you, a ghostly testament to a bygone war.

Then, the silence is broken.

The rhythmic sound of marching boots echoed faintly in the distance. You froze, your heart pounding as you scanned your surroundings. The sound grew louder, closer.

From the shadows of an old barracks, a figure emerged. At first, you thought it was a soldier, but as it stepped into the pale light filtering through the crumbling walls, you realized it was no ordinary human.

The figure was unnaturally smooth, its black, glossy surface reflecting light like a china doll. Its features were faceless, as though it were a mannequin come to life, yet its movements were disturbingly precise, purposeful, and human-like. The German military uniform it wore was impeccably preserved.

Suddenly, it raised a rifle, its grip steady and deliberate. You staggered back, panic surging through you as you realized the threat was real.

The gun lowered slightly, the figure tilting its head as though studying you.

This was no mere mannequin.

You recalled the stories about Regan-Ilov, the ghost of an 18-year-old German soldier. Pressured into military service by his mother on his birthday, Regan was said to have been gentle and kind, a healer in a world of violence. But his refusal to kill made him a target of ridicule among his comrades, who abandoned him when the enemy attacked.

According to legend, his unit left him behind amidst lifelike dummies meant to deceive the enemy. Wounded and alone, Regan had succumbed to his injuries in silence, his throat fatally wounded, rendering him voiceless even in death.

His spirit, the stories claimed, now inhabited the last intact dummy—a black, doll-like figure dressed in his military uniform. Consumed by betrayal and isolation, he roams these ruins.

The figure before you could only be him.

As you stood frozen in fear, the mannequin took a step closer.

Then, it raised its free hand slowly, as though reaching out.