[ USER SYSTEM SPENDING: -30,000 CREDITS]
[ CURRENT POINTS: 1,000,000]
[ TOTAL POINTS OBTAINED: 50,000,000]
A glowing blue light was displayed above the wristwatch of the towering man standing before August and Devin, with a snake tattoo on his left neck, sharp, silver-grey eyes, and an easy, shameless smile curled on his lips.
August pulled the unknown person's hands off his grip and instantly recoiled toward Devin, her hand flying to the hollow of her throat.
"Who are you?" Devin stepped forward with a deliberate, confident step.
A teasing smirk appeared on the unknown person's lips; he arched his brows as if to dare. "Is this how we appreciate the help? I just saved your lives, and all I get is a deposition. A thank you would be a decent opening bid."
Devin opened his lips to respond, but a small beep rang, interrupting the unison.
[ LEVEL 1: TASK COMPLETED]
[REWARD CREDITED]
[REWARD POINTS: 1000]
[TOTAL POINTS OBTAINED: 1000]
CURRENT LEVEL STATE: 2
Devin and August, their gaze fixed on their own watches, watched as they pinged in a synchronised, digital heartbeat. Both exchanged the same confusion and cold shock as if realized everything was real. "So, this point system and this world were actually real?" She asked.
"Yes!" The stranger man gave a laid-back nod, "Everything here is factual!"
Devin examined the person from head to toe, noticing his spotless, crisp shirt, branded shoes, and clean hairstyle. He appeared so neat, fresh, chill, like he landed today, yet his points were damn high, Devin thought, but didn't express anything. "How long have you been here?" he asked sharply and clearly.
"Hmm," the stranger tapped his chin, looking upward as if calculating a debt. "Let me count!! Hmm!!!! One, two! OOPS, I am bad at mathing." He clicked his watch and checked, turning towards them, " I--I guess twenty-six days, I mean hundared a twenty six days"
"What? Seriously!" August's eyelids arched in disbelief.
"That's so long, then why don't you find a way to escape this world!" Devin questioned.
"Hmm! I tried.... Everyone here was trying! But no one cleared the main level. It's a long story. don't think too much; you will understand this system eventually." He stepped forward and extended a hand toward Devin confidently. " By the way, my name's Max. Former chemical analyst with 5 years of experience."
Devin's expression was unreadable, and he forced a small smile and shook his hand tightly. "Thank you for your great help, Max. Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you," August said, shaking his hand.
Max grinned softly and slipped his hand into his pants casually. "Don't thank me yet. In this world, help is just a loan with high interest. You'll pay me back eventually." He said unconcernedly as he started walking in the vast building.
The direct sunlight reflected off every side of the glass walls. August and Devin followed back, their gaze sweeping the empty hall, with no furniture or any decorative items. The only thing available in that building was the lights and silence.
" It's so strange. Why are all the rooms empty?" August asked, her fingers hovering over a glass wall to see if it was solid or just another projection with a sharp crack sound.
"In this world, everything is points and levels. If you have more points, you can survive whenever, wherever you want." Max explained nonchalantly.
"Huh!"
Noticing their confused face, Max pressed a small, serene smile and made the scenario cool and easy. "Don't worry much, it's age you fast!" he laughed gently. "Look! Here, the rules are very simple. If you complete the task, you will gain points. With the points system, you can buy anything and everything," he lowered his tone to soften, "Even your death!"
August's brows touched together in pure chillness after hearing the word death, and she looked back at Devin to Max. "Death? What about food?" she questioned as her gaze swept around the walls. "I don't see any food counter or kitchen here. How can we survive without food?"
Max winked and pointed his finger toward the ceiling. "Food counter at the top of the building. But remember, without points, you can't buy anything, even water."
Devin stepped forward. "Hey, Max. What about the exit way of this game? I need to find someone. Do you know where the exit way!" he asked, his voice more curious and tense.
Max paused the walk, turned his half-body, keeping his shoe straight, looking at them. "Exit?" he smiled in a teasing way, "First survive at your upcoming levels, kids."
"What do you mean?" Devin asked. August exhaled a deep breath and held Devin's fingers.
"Um! This is Area 99. No one knows where the exit or entry is," Max murmured.
So there are more entry areas? Devin exclaimed inside as he followed back and observed every detail of the building and structure.
Max paused and turned back to Devin and August, pointing towards the cafe to cut off the talk. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee?" he asked in a friendly, lighthearted tone.
Devin quickly shook his head. "Um, no!" another voice in unison, "Yes!" she exclaimed.
Devin gave a death stare towards August. "We have nothing to pay with right now!" he declined the offer.
"Oh! Come on! It's just a friendly offer; you don't have to pay in return. I am so lonely here; now I have two friends, it would be nice! Max approached in a calming way.
August's gaze turned upwards, looking at Devin's response, without leaving any options. "Okay! Thank you," Devin said as the two of them then made their way to the café chairs to sit down.
"Excuse me!" Max excused himself from the café and stepped into a nearby restroom. He placed his finger on the metal doorknob, looked back at them, pulled open the door with a soft click, and went inside. He let out a deep, exhausted breath, stretched his full body, and a calm smile turned to a sinister smirk. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and clicked the watch.
"Beep", a small notification popped up.
[SYSTEM LOG: TRANSACTION COMPLETE]
[CONGRATULATIONS LEVEL 201 COMPLETED]
[PREVIOUS TASK: SECURE HIGH-VALUE ASSET]
[SECURE PERSON ID NUMBER: 666333]
[ID NAME: DEVIN RAYEEN]
[IMAGE ATTACHED: ENCRYPTED_FILE_01.JPG]
[REWARDED POINTS: 1,000,000]
[POINT DEDUCTION FOR PHYSICAL SETTING: -25,000]
[CURRENT BALANCE: 1,075,000]
[TOTAL OBTAINED POINTS: 60,000,000]
[ Next task will notify within 24 hours]
Max turned off the watch, looking at his reflection in the rusted mirror, and a mischievous victory smirk curled on his lips. "He must be something different in this system world. He must be my jackpot. Let them live for a while; today's savings will be tomorrow's reward!" he whispered in a deep, villainous tone.
Meanwhile, outside the cafe, unaware of Max's sinister plan, August and Devin are enjoying their coffee in the cafe shop. "Max is so humble, isn't he?" She asked while she grabbed her aroma-filled roasted coffee beans and coffee in her hand.
Devin's gaze remains on the particular place, and his vision is blurred and emotionless; his mind is recalculating Max's every move from staring to ending, the way he walks and speaks. "August!" He called out her name in a deep voice.
"Yeah!" August responded, placing a coffee mug down.
Devin scanned August's excited face and arched his bros like a warning. "Are we on vacation?"
"NO, why?" she asked.
"Be serious. Don't trust anyone that easily, just because they saved you and are offering a free coffee. We have no idea why he saved us!" He commanded, looking at the untouched hot coffee.
"Huh?" August responded with an open mouth. "Seriously, Devin, he helped us without expecting anything... Look, if he didn't offer help, we would be dead now."
"Exactly, that's what makes me question! Why did he save us, not any of them? He has more points; if he's really willing to save people, why didn't he save others?" Devin raised his question.
"What? What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy? Just stop questioning me. Can I drink my coffee first?" August hissed, and without speaking another word, she began to sip her coffee with a disappointed expression.
"He's not that good a person, I know, but why did he save us?" Devin thought as his mind was thinking about the outside people. "What about others? What do they do? Still there, are they alive or not!"
----
The roaring sound occupied every side, as a towering building's shadow covered all the areas, roads, and the reality of the game was not stripping away the last of the world's mercy. A huge, branched tree in the middle of two houses, and its leaves trembled in the evening breeze, oblivious to the horrors unfolding around it.
"Silent! Shhh!" The red hat man commanded quietly, gripping a tree branch tightly and standing still, maintaining his focus and composure.
Besides, another woman's face was masked with fear and sweat, bruises, and her hands were shaking to balance. Her blue eyes slowly looked down, where five zombies were roaming here and there, waiting for their prey. Besides, their 2 dead body were lying with missing flesh and body parts. "I can't... I can't hold on!" she sobbed in pure terror and pain.
"It's okay, stay focused! Don't be nervous… You will be fine!! Just wait for a few minutes. It seems they are leaving." He advised and gripped a branch tightly as he moved slowly towards the woman's side.
The woman tried to adjust her grip, but her bloody fingers slipped from the rough wood. With a sharp gasp, her feet lost their footing entirely. She plunged from the branch, her hands catching a branch at the last second. She was dangling without any help in the evening breeze.