"This is the ride to Manila, there's still more space!"
Andrew barked from the stairs of the minibus as he called for passengers. It was rush hour, and the sidewalk was filled by commuters hoping to get a ride.
And when the people heard of his call, they immediately rushed to board the minibus.
"Ow easy there fella," he said as he helped one of the commuters enter the minibus.
One by one, the minibus was filled to the brim until there's no space the feet could occupy. Once everyone settled into their position, Andrew closed the door and the noise of the bustling streets of Manila quietly faded.
He immediately asked for their fare but it's going to be troublesome as it's difficult to navigate in a tight space. The passengers ended up having to pass their fellow passenger's fare to him and then handing him the ticket.
The passengers are a mix of students, workers, and from other walks of life. This is the source of his living. He earns a minimum salary of about 500 pesos or about 10 USD and he used that money to save up for his education as he had stopped after graduating high school.
He lives in Tondo Manila in a squatter area. His father died when he was nine years old from cancer, his mother has diabetes and was in and out of the hospital but still is working as a seamstress in a local tailoring company, he has two little siblings, a boy and a girl, currently studying at elementary and high school respectively.
Ever since his father died, he stood as the head of the family and had worked multiple part time jobs to make ends meet.
And despite the hardship of life, he still wanted to continue his studies, because he believed that when a person graduated, they have a bright future ahead of them. Because if he didn't finish college, life would be just surviving?
But why the desire to finish college when you can already work? Well, in the Philippines, having a diploma is becoming the minimum requirement for clerical jobs such as bagger, cashier, waiter, et cetera. If you don't have a degree, people will look down on you.
A degree is the weapon one can use to fight life.
"Okay, we are arriving at Manila University! Those who stop at Manila University should prepare to disembark!" Andrew called out and the students in uniforms squeezed through.
The door was opened and the students of the Manila University disembarked and headed to the main entrance.
He looked at the students who are about the same age as him and he couldn't help but feel envious of them.
Some laughed. One checked his phone. Another complained about a quiz. Their shoes were clean. Their bags looked heavy. He imagined himself entering that university and studying like the others without having to think about school tuition and allowances.
Andrew closed the door and slapped the side of the minibus twice. The driver pulled out.
He turned and faced the passengers again.
"Next stop, Quiapo," he said.
Coins clinked into his palm. Crumpled bills stuck to his fingers from sweat. He counted fast, muscle memory doing the work while his eyes drifted back to the window.
At a red light, the bus stopped beside a university billboard. Smiling faces. Caps thrown into the air. A slogan about dreams and futures.
Andrew looked away.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn't need to check to know who it was.
He checked anyway.
Mom: A bill came in. It needs to be paid tomorrow. Your sister also needs money for a school project.
He typed with one hand.
Andrew: Okay. Later.
Then suddenly, there was a horn.
Not the short, angry kind common on Manila roads. This one dragged on long and it came from behind them.
The driver glanced at the side mirror. His shoulders tensed.
"What the—" the driver muttered.
Andrew turned halfway, gripping the rail.
The truck filled the rear window.
It was swerving, nose dipping hard, tires screaming as it fishtailed across the lane. Smoke poured from its wheels.
"Brake failure!" someone shouted outside.
Andrew opened his mouth.
The impact hit.
The minibus lurched forward like it had been kicked by something heavy. Andrew was thrown off his feet. The rail ripped from his hand. Bodies slammed together. Coins flew from his palm, scattering midair before vanishing under boots and seats.
The rear of the minibus crumpled inward. Glass exploded from the back windows, shards cutting through the air. Someone screamed sharp and close to his ear. Another voice cried out in pain, then cut off.
Andrew's shoulder slammed into the railing of the seat. The air left his lungs in a violent burst. His vision blurred white.
And from there, his consciousness faded.
Everything was black. Seconds later, light slowly however, something seems off. He was like the inside of a computer. Like a screen turned on in a dark room. The black peeled back in layers, replaced by lines, thin grids stretching out in every direction, glowing faint blue.
"…Am I dead?" he muttered.
Then something moved.
Pixels gathered in front of him, pulling together from nothing. A silhouette formed first then—.
A human materialized.
A girl!
She hovered a few steps away from him, feet not touching anything. She looked young, maybe late teens, with long green hair tied into twin tails that drifted as if underwater. Black headphones with light green accents rested over her ears, thin ribbon-like accessories floating beside her hair.
She wore a grey, sleeveless collared top edged with teal frills, a bright teal tie hanging neatly down the center. A short black skirt with a teal hem sat at her waist. Black arm warmers covered her forearms, trimmed in the same teal. Knee-high black boots with subtle teal accents completed the outfit.
"Andrew Blimline, congratulations, you are randomly chosen to use the Black Tech System!"
Andrew tilted his head to the side, quizzically. "Bla…Black Tech System? Wait, where the hell am I?"
"You are in the digital world," the girl said.
Andrew remained silent.
"A simulation?"
"Basically, your world is just a huge simulation and there's really no heaven or hell. When a person dies, this is where they'll end up before getting deleted out of the system."
"Wait wait…so you are saying that I'm dead because I'm here?"
"Well yes technically you died from the crash but instead of a prompt deletion, I'm here to give you a choice. Do you wish to continue your life with a life-changing system that would change you in ways unimaginable. Or face certain death. I mean you can't really mess this one up right? Are you going to choose death over glory?"
"Uhm I am honestly just confused," Andrew said. "You know this is a lot to take in. But if I will get a second chance in life, of course I would take it without hesitation."
"That's great to hear!" the girl said in delight. "Since you accepted, I'm going to explain to you the system in detail."
Just as the girl said that, a system interface appeared.
[User: Andrew Blimline
Age: 20
Status: Single
Occupation: Bus Conductor.
Net worth; -5,000$
Black Tech Shop
Inventory
Points: 0
Missions:
Core Sciences:
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Engineering
Material Science
Nuclear Science
Computer Science`
]
"As you can see, that's the whole system interface. The most important one is the points. Points are the currency of the system, you want something amazing that would shake the world, you'd need points. As for the core sciences, those are disciplines that you'll have to study and research on. The more you study and research, the more points you accumulate."
She continued. "How do you earn points? Like I said, by studying and researching related to those disciplines. The more technical and difficult the topic is, the more points you receive. Of course there are also missions which also give you points upon completion. For every successful mission there is a reward, but for every failure there is a punishment."
"Black Tech Shop is where you can look for futuristic technology that you can buy and materialize in this world. Even if it's made 100 years in the future, you can bring it here in your timeline. And to unlock those technologies, you'll have to increase the level of the disciplines. Each technology would have a certain level of understanding and knowledge of its concept. But it all boils down to the level of your core sciences."
Andrew listened to her like she was his high school teacher. He understood everything he was told.
"And the futuristic technology available on the system, you can use to start your own business. Which is why you are lucky, not only you'll get smarter but also richer. By using the system, you'll get to a point in life where everything is luxury! So, do you have any questions?"
"Uhm, I don't have any," Andrew said.
"Great, so all are understood! I will now bring you back to life now! Let's see each other on the other side!"