Andora is a beautiful planet with deep oceans and vast lands. The civilization has already entered the modern age and everyone's life has become a lot easier because of the rapid advancement of technology. Smart gadgets, electric-powered vehicles, and many other modern items were perfected by talented inventors and scientists. With the advent of technology, the lives of the people entered new heights.
It has four large continents, Aseron, Palares, Ronen, and Mamora. Among them, the largest continent was Mamora and it has ninety-seven countries. It has a total land area of 40 million square miles, which represents a whopping 41% of Andora's habitable area.
Mamora has a country called Oscos. It was a small developing country with a total land area of 100,478 square miles. This country was known for its mountainous countryside with tall evergreens and dense shrubbery. Aside from that, the country's borders are also heavily militarized because of its tense relationship with its neighboring country, Mebra.
Oscos has a population of 106 million people. Although it's still a developing country, the Oscos government invested heavily in its army, making it one of the world's military powerhouses. They boasted a personnel strength of approximately 6 million!
***
In the city of Oritaro, the capital of Oscos, tall high-rise buildings could be seen everywhere. People dressed in fashionable clothes could be seen walking in the streets.
It was just another normal day for Jacob, a twenty-seven-year-old manager of a bakery. He was almost in his thirties, but he still hadn't found a girlfriend. As for his reasons? He wasn't ready to enter into a relationship. Jacob wasn't on the handsome side. He has a sharp jawline and a pair of lazy eyes that always look tired. His short black hair was cut in a taper style which made him look appealing.
He was quite tall with a height of six foot two. His physique was refined like an intricately cut jade, a result of his strict daily training and exercise. Jacob was inspecting the list of pastries in their bakery. This was part of his task as the manager of the store. At this moment, his eyebrows were scrunched up because he noticed that there was something wrong with the list. "Why is our stock of flour only half of the usual?"
"Alice, bring Mark here." He called out to the blonde-haired young woman who was sorting out the products on the shelf next to him.
Alice stared at him a probing look, but upon seeing Jacob's stern gaze, she swallowed back the words she was about to say and meekly responded. "Yes, sir!"
Soon, Alice came back with a fat man wearing spectacles.
This guy was Mark. He came here as soon as he heard that Jacob was looking for him.
He felt a bit nervous when he saw the serious expression on Jacob's face. 'Oh no! It looks like I screwed up again! What did I do this time?'
"Sir, Mark is here." Alice walked behind Jacob and stared at the computer.
Jacob ignored the curious girl and looked at Mark. "Come here and take a look at this." His voice carried a trace of admonishment.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Mark wiped off the sweat on his forehead with a clean handkerchief. He then went beside Jacob and looked at the screen of the computer.
When he saw that their stock of flour was less than usual, his face fell. "Sir, I'm sorry! I thought that everything was good. I didn't know that I actually inputted the wrong number." He hurriedly explained himself. The fats on his face jiggled up and down as he spoke.
Jacob snorted at his words. "How many times do I have to tell you to double-check everything before you place an order? Sigh! Never mind, just be careful next time." He sighed and shook his head.
This fatty never changed. He was still so careless in doing his tasks. If not for their friendship, he would have already considered firing him.
Mark knew that he was wrong so he nodded his head. "Yes, sir!"
"I'll go out for a smoke. You guys should be ready. Our shop will open soon." Jacob waved his hand and grabbed a packet of cigarettes. He went out of the supermarket and sat on a stone bench. This was where he usually smoked and it was already part of his daily routine to sit here in the morning.
After lighting his cigarette, Jacob took out his phone and opened his social media app. Whenever he was bored, he would look at the viral posts on the internet.
Jacob stopped scrolling when he noticed a live video of a famous online streamer. This guy was actually hunting in a large forest. What an enviable job!
Jacob sighed as he thought about how lucky these online streamers were. Most of them travel all around the world and record their daily life. They would then edit their recorded videos and post them online, earning them huge amounts of money. Meanwhile, he had to work a 9-hour job and his salary wasn't even a fourth of what these online streamers earn.
Suddenly, the streamer spotted an unusual creature under the scope of his hunting rifle.
"Hey, guys! Look at this thing right here! It looks like a bear, but what is that strange plant on top of its head?" The streamer seemed to be surprised by this encounter.
Jacob squinted his eyes as he looked at his phone. There was indeed a purple flower on top of the bear's head. Moreover, something about this flower made Jacob feel unnerved. This flower has tentacle-like roots that were wrapped around the bear's head!
"Just a moment guys. I think the bear has noticed my presence. He's coming!" The streamer said in horror and the camera abruptly shifted to the bear. The wild animal could be seen running towards where the streamer was hiding!
The streamer tried to run away, but because he was carrying a bunch of equipment, he was outrun by the bear.
Roaarr!! "Ahhh! Help!" Bang! Jacob was stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"Ahhh!!" The streamer was being eaten live on screen!
The huge bear's bloody mouth could be seen munching on an arm. Its eyes were red, seemingly filled with rage and agitation. The purple flower on top of its head was now clear to see. The tentacle-like roots weren't actually wrapped around the bear's head! In fact, the flower's roots seemed to have embedded itself in the bear's head!
"What is going on?!" The cigarette in his mouth fell to the ground as he stared at the live video in shock.
Soon, the live video was disconnected.