In an old apartment, a figure sitting in front of a computer could be seen. The room seems to be a bedroom, with a bed, a nightstand table, a closet, and a cabinet. Free of any big mess or dust particles, it seems like the owner of this room likes to keep it clean and organized.
The owner in question is a man in his late 20s, wearing a comfortable pair of shorts and a shirt. His exposed skin was covered in scars, from bullet wounds to cuts. With semi-messy black hair and brown eyes, the person focuses deeply on the screen.
Editing software is front and center, as the man seems to be editing a video of a game, he checks the audio again and again. Placing a facecam on the lower corner of the video, it seems this person is an online video creator. Pretty professional as well seeing his setup and the way he edits the video.
As he does the final clicks and checks the audio one last time. A small satisfied smile creeps its way into the man's face. An audible sigh escapes the lips of the person as he stretches his arms.
"Finally done, I am sure this guide will help a lot of people stuck on the "Divine Soul" stage"
He said to himself, saying a term from the video game that the guide is based on. The game is called "The Cultivation Tower", a single-player RPG, based on "Wuxia" novels. Through the cultivation of QI and martial arts, the player embarks on a journey to immortality.
Hell, he did not even know about this type of novels till he got an offer from the video game makers to do sponsor video. From there on his life spiraled out of control, he got very addicted to this game. Spending hours reading the lore of the items, learning the best way to reach immortality, finding every single secret.
He dedicated so many videos to this game that whenever a new person wants to get into the game, his videos will appear first. It's a great game and if the creators ever made new content, he for sure will milk it dry as well. As he uploads the video he separated himself from the computer.
As hunger settles in, he decided it is time for a meal. His hands reach down to his chair, to be more precise, a wheelchair. As his hands land on the wheels, he turns himself around, making his way to the kitchen.
He wasn't always like this, he had working legs in his younger days. But after a mortal wound in a battle, he lost all feeling of his legs, now living the life of a handicapped person. It took a while to get used to, but now after living 1 year like this, it became as natural as breathing.
He gets out of his bedroom and into a small hallway that connects to the living room. Mostly empty as he has no need for sofas or tv, no one will come and visit him anyway. He makes his way to the kitchen and opens the white fridge. He is greeted with some old take-out food, rice, meat, and slice-up vegetables.
Nothing too fancy, his days in the army really mess up his eating habits. His body will always get hungry at a certain time and his portions are quite larger than normal. As he opens up a bag full of disposable utensils, the smell of smoke enters his nose. The hairs in his body stand up as he looks around his house with anxiety in his heart.
"There should be no fire here, I don't even cook!"
He said panic settling in his voice as the sound of people running and screaming comes from outside his apparent door.
"Fuck Fuck Fuck"
He repeated over and over again, his heartbeat picking up as he makes his way towards the door of his apartment and opens it up. What greets him is people running away and screaming.
Thankfully he lived on the first floor, thanks to the veteran government agency that made sure he was able to make out alive in an emergency situation. He stays in his doorway for a while, with the human wave that is trying to leave the apartment building, but no opportunity to escape his apparent presented himself.
"Please let me go, I can't move my legs!"
He screams, hoping that amidst the chaos someone with a good heart will help him out. But seconds went by and no one help him out, his anxiety grew larger. He could no longer stay here and wait for a miracle. He pushes his wheels forward to get out of his apartment, only to be greeted by the cold hard floor. Before he knew someone crashed against him and push him to the floor.
"Fuck! Get out the way bastard"
That man that crashed against him said as he stood up and ran away with the rest of the people. The man stays close to the ground as people run beside him and step on him. Without the ability to move his legs, it is almost impossible to get back on his wheelchair with all of this chaos.
But that will be the least of his worries as the booming sound of people running so close to his ear started to trigger his PTSD. Flashes of artillery fire landing close to him clouded his eyes, the screams of soldiers dying echo in his ears. He looks around himself, finding himself in a battlefield of old.
Next, he finds himself on another battlefield, fiercer and deadlier than the last one. This continue to happen till the light faded from his eyes. The poor wounded veteran dies while having a PTSD episode, crush to death by the panicked people and his body burn to ashes by the building fire.
A tragedy, but no one will cry over it and it will soon be forgotten.
[Cultivation Tower System install]
Is the first thing he hears as he opens his eyes again.