System Break

Chapter 3: I Run

The North Unknown Qi World Earth Year 2031

I wasn't sure if my brain was thinking I should be thirsty, therefore I felt thirsty or if I actually was thirsty. My tongue wasn't dry. Again, I had no idea how this game worked.

There were no health nor stamina bars. The stats told me almost nothing - they were tens across strength, speed, agility, stamina and toughness. There were no warnings about hunger and thirst.

I had been jogging as the sun dipped and night descended. Two moons had disappeared, but that still left me with two bright orbs in the sky providing a dim light and rudimentary navigation aid. It was not long before stars appeared.

"No city lights," I chuckled to myself. City lights ruined the damn night sky where I was from. I picked out a particularly bright star with a helpful group of pointers shaped like a bat. Or a penis, depending on how perverted you were. Bright star would be my guide. The years of training and ops with special forces were useful even in a game.

When I stopped running, I could hear myself breathing as well as a telltale rustling of running water. I turned trying to establish the direction of the creek. Dark shapes obscured the horizon and after I focused on it for a while, I believed it to be several trees. The creek was probably lined with trees, so I made my way in that direction.

It wasn't long before I was sliding down an embankment towards a creek and filling my stomach with cool fresh water.

"Shee-yit," I declared. Water never tasted so good. The trees were blocking the dim light from the stars and moons so I found it difficult to see anything I could use as a container. As I searched with my hands, I wondered how far I had travelled during the day. It had to be at least ten miles, which was impressive given the poor physical condition my lump was in.

I decided to rest until morning, when I could see, and I didn't want to leave the water source. I sat and leaned up against a tree on top of the creek bank. I watched the sky as purple lightning-like flashes crisscrossed in an impressive display.

It's definitely not Kansas. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep.

Birds chirping woke me and when I moved, a small furry animal scampered away in fright.

"Har," I scoffed. "Run fast little thing - you were almost breakfast." It did not take me long to find some reeds which I could fashion into a container. When it was completed, I dug into the bank and laughed with joy when I found some clay. I plastered the outside of the reed bag with clay. It wouldn't last, but it would do for now.

I stood and triumphantly slung my reed bag over my shoulder. It sloshed with clay rubbing off onto my side on my otherwise naked form.

I hoped no one is watching this game and then I ran to the northwest again.

.

"Subject four and seven have returned," the man in the white lab coat stated. He was holding a tablet and talking to a well-dressed man in a suit who was seated behind a desk.

"Shi. This is to be expected," Mister Buxiu stated. "If they rank in the top twenty they can participate in the next trial. Did we gain anything useful from them?"

Head Technician Shiyan Shi shook his head. "No Sir. But four was killed by subject eleven."

"The control? The foreigner?" Mister Buxiu asked in surprise.

"He was special forces, sir. One of their best," Shi replied.

"Yes, but he knows nothing of Qi," Mister Buxiu stated.

Shi shrugged, "He killed four with a rock."

Buxiu laughed. "Cut four then. We don't need someone who would die from a rock to an ignorant foreigner."

"Sir. I did protest using him as the control. He has the highest q-count on record."

Buxiu leaned forward on his desk and sneered, "But he knows nothing. He is from a bad culture. A criminal who was only saved by joining their army."

Shi bowed. "Yes Sir," he said before leaving the room.

.

After another two days of running northwest, the mountains loomed and a forest at their base appeared.

"HUD," I said and before my eyes appeared something akin to a user interface. Icons for skills, stats, combat and qi abilities appeared in the top right of my vision. Empty boxes were centrally located at the bottom. I looked at skills and the list appeared.

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-General-

Running, 19.45

.

-Combat-

Melee, 0.38

.

-Survival-

Plains, 9.22

Navigation, 12.59

Foraging, 4.09

.

-Crafting-

Fabric, 0.91

.

It was like a report card and only the skills I had used were showing. The list of known skills was slowly growing. And what was interesting was the weaving I had done was showing up as fabric crafting. I was still naked and while my muscles weren't miraculously becoming toned overnight, I did feel stronger. I was now sporting three bags, one for water which wasn't leaking too badly, another; for useful rocks I had found and the last for any surplus food.

Berries, wild grains and the singular dumb rodent were my sustenance so far. I looked at the tall trees ahead and licked my lips. With the cutting stone I had just found, surely, I would be able to fashion a spear from the right piece of wood.

It was amazing how dirty my pinky white skin had become. And I was surprised that I didn't burn to a crisp with two days in the sun with no protection. It occurred to me, perhaps the dirt was my protection, and I laughed.

I jogged and the distinct tree line neared.

I had no idea where the sense of jubilation was coming from, perhaps it was the ability to run, something I had not done in over eight years. Something, I never dreamed I would do again. I ran carefree into the forest, jumping and yelling like a complete idiot.

"Woohoo," I shouted as I jumped a particularly thick root.

It may have been the change in the humidity of the air, but I felt different within the forest. I stopped and looked around at the beauty. The tall, straight trees. The vines and colourful ground cover. The birds were rarely quiet. And the odd animal ran in terror when it sensed my presence.

I closed my eye, breathed deeply, and enjoyed the sweet scent of the forest.

It was good to be alive again.

This was supposed to be a game, but it felt real to me. And until I died, I was stuck here.

I wanted to make the most of it, because, for someone like me, being trapped in a wheelchair was a fate worse than death. I know, because I contemplated suicide many times.

I had to stay alive. If I died, I would end up back in the lab, or worse.

I opened my eyes and the blue tinge had returned. The Hud had disappeared and was replaced with a blue tint across my vision. But here in the forest, I could see many little blue orbs, some were moving while others were stationary. I had a decision to make, up until now I had been running towards the forest and now that I was here, I had two distinct choices.

The mountains were to my north, it was the origin of one of the bright blue glows. I could head there.

I turned to the west, looking deep into the forest and when I focused on it, I was almost blinded by the glowing orb. It throbbed like a beating heart. It either called to me, or I was drawn to it. I wasn't sure. What I was sure of - I was going to investigate.

Filled with an everlasting spring of energy I began to run through the forest. I tripped and fell on several occasions on the roots that were hidden beneath the foliage. But I didn't care - I got up and started running again with my bruises and scrapes on ignore.

My progress was much slower than the plains and I expended more energy. I ran for most of the day only stopping to pick berries or mushrooms. My water container was almost full as I passed a stream every couple of hours. When I stopped, I lifted my right foot to inspect the damage it had sustained. The once supple skin had gone through a baptism of fire, and I was amazed at how quickly the cuts and bruises healed.

As I leaned with one hand against the tree, I noted a long straight limb a few feet away. I jumped over, picked it up and inspected the fine specimen.

"You will do pet. You will do nicely," I told my new staff or spear. I found a nice boulder to sit on while I cut it and shaped the wood. It was six-foot-long when I cut the extraneous branches from it. And wider than the length of my thumb which put it at one and a half inches thick.

Testing both ends, I selected the slightly lighter one to carve to a point. The rock was not sharp compared to a modern knife, but it was sufficient for the task at hand. I sharpened it on the boulder before attacking the end of the staff. I felt safer immediately. I had not forgotten the attack from the other player and the world was sure to be filled with dangerous critters.

It was then I heard rustling in the brush to the south. I titled my head and listened, thinking I was in luck. Perhaps it was a deer presenting itself as dinner for me. I slid off the boulder and crept behind to closest tree. I watched and laid in wait while breathing evenly. And when I finally saw the critter, I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was a small, greenish, humanoid type creature. I wondered if it was supposed to be a goblin. It was dressed in leathers and held its own rudimentary spear. I could not insult the quality of its gear, it was better than mine. I had moments to decide what to do. Talking to it would be foolish. I would be giving up surprise to something that was likely hostile, and it probably had friends nearby.

I needed to hide or attack and kill it quickly. It lifted its head and sniffed the air. I did not waste any more time in thought. I jumped and closed the distance between us as fast as I could.

It looked at me in surprise as I drove my newly made spear into its chest. It didn't have time to bring its own spear round, and its leather provided little defence against a six-foot-tall man charging and impaling a four-foot-tall goblin-like creature.

This was a game and my mission was to survive. I gave little thought to the morality of killing the goblin without cause as I put my foot to its chest and pulled my spear free.

It bled red just like me.

I listened carefully, tilting my head into the wind, but I could not hear any of its friends. As I searched its body, I wondered why the game did not report on the kill. There was no exp, no stat, no announcement of the defeat.

It was only a single goblin. I didn't expect a massive reward. The only thing I found of value on the little green fella was some flint. And to me right now, that was more valuable than gold.

The spear was crap and it's armour pathetic. I looked at the corpse and wondered what I should do. If this was war, I would move on. If I was hunting; I would cook, eat and preserve what I could.

.

Stats

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-Body-

Strength, 10

Speed, 11

Agility, 10

Stamina, 12

Toughness, 11

.

-Qi-

Qi Core, 10

Qi Manipulation, 1

.

My stats had barely changed from the straight tens I began with. But they were improving slowly. I was looking for a mention or change because of the kill. But there was none. I guess the little greeny died for no reason other than my peace of mind and a piece of flint.

"Sorry greeny, but its kill or be killed in this world," I said over his corpse. I resumed my journey towards the bright blue orb.