The city is cold tonight, and I can see my breath in the air as I walk down the street. The night is clear and crisp, with a sharp wind that cuts through my clothes. I wrap my black modern coat tighter around me, trying to stay warm.
I'm on my way to buy more cigarettes, and I'm taking a long way around. I like to think as I walk, and the winding path through the city gives me plenty of time to think.
I'm wearing a pair of black sneakers tonight, with silver hair that's blowing in the wind. My hair is a bit longer than I'd like, but I don't have the energy to go get it cut. I'm just trying to make it through the day.
As I walk, I can't help but feel a sense of loneliness.
As I approach the gas station, I can see the neon sign flickering above it. It's a bright, garish thing that's meant to attract attention, and it's somewhat functional at doing so. Even though it's a bit run-down, it's still able to draw people in.
I can see a group of gangsters hanging around near the entrance, trying to impress a girl with their flashy clothes and tough talk. They're loud and boisterous, and it's clear that they're trying to make a show of it.
The girl they're trying to impress is dressed in a tight, revealing outfit, and it's clear that she's not impressed by their antics. She's standing off to the side, watching them with a disinterested expression on her face.
As I walk past them, I can't help but feel a sense of disgust. The trash on the floor of the road is a testament to their carelessness, and it's clear that they have no respect for the world around them.
As I walk into the gas station, I can see that the floor is a bit worn down. It's seen better days, and it's clear that it's been a while since it's been cleaned. The walls are adorned with advertisements for various products, and there are a few stations scattered around the room.
I head over to the counter and grab the same pack of cigarettes that I bought earlier. I don't have a brand preference, so I just go with whatever's on sale.
As I approach the counter, I see that the cashier is different from the last time I was here. This one is a young man, with a slouchy posture and clothes that are a bit too big for him. He doesn't seem to be paying much attention to me as I approach him, and I can see that he's busy texting on his phone.
Despite his distracted appearance, he's surprisingly polite when I hand him the money. He doesn't make any snarky comments or tries to haggle with me, and he just gives me my change and lets me be on my way
As I left the gas station, I couldn't help but notice the cashier who had been there the last time I visited.
I lit my cigarette and took a long drag, enjoying the feeling of the smoke filling my lungs. As I exhaled, I couldn't help but blow the smoke in the direction of the cashier.
To my surprise, he didn't seem to be too impressed by my gesture. He just rolled his eyes and made a snarky comment about my smoking habits.
I couldn't help but laugh at his comment, and I knew that he was just trying to get a rise out of me. I didn't let it get to me, though, and I just chuckled and walked away.
I then approached the shopping district.
The shops in the district are a mix of old and new, and it's clear that they've seen better days. Many of them are run-down and in need of repair, with peeling paint and broken windows.
Despite their rough exterior, there's still a sense of vitality about them. The smells of freshly baked bread and cooking food fill the air, and it's clear that people are still trying to make the best of things. Or rather that's how they try to appear to others.
The shops themselves are a mix of different types, from small corner stores to larger department stores. Some of them are brightly lit and inviting, while others are dim and mysterious.
As I walk through the shopping district, I can't help but notice a girl standing in front of one of the stores. She's got silver hair that's tied back in a ponytail, and it's clear that she's beautiful.
Her hair is glowing in the orange light of the neon signs, and I can't help but be drawn to it. She's wearing a blue coat that fits her perfectly, and it's clear that she's trying to stay warm.
She's staring at a store window with a look of intense fascination, and it's clear that she's thinking about something.
"She's beautiful but she may not have a beautiful personality." I thought. I walked past her and I couldn't find a store to suit my interest so I went back home.
As I arrive at my apartment, I can't help but feel tired. I've had a long day, and all I want to do is collapse into bed and sleep.
I put out my cigarette, dropping it to the floor as I open the door to my apartment. I'm feeling sad and angry, and I hate the world for the way it's treated me.
I fall asleep with a minor headache, but when I wake up the next morning, it's worse. The dim lighting in my room doesn't help, and I can feel the pain pulsing through my head.
To make matters worse, I'm freezing because the AC is broken. I wrap myself up in blankets, trying to stay warm, but it's not enough. I decided to eat some stale cereal that had no flavor. It was supposed to be chocolate.
As I lay on my bed, feeling miserable and alone, I decided to try and take my mind off things by looking at my phone. I spend an hour watching videos on streaming services, trying to distract myself from the pain in my head and the cold in my apartment.
But eventually, I can't avoid it any longer. I pull up my social media apps and start scrolling through my feeds, looking for some kind of distraction.
That's when I see it: a news article about a new policy that the government is considering. They're talking about limiting virtual reality, saying that it's a threat to national security.
I can't believe what I'm reading. Virtual reality is the only thing that's been keeping me going lately, and now they're talking about taking it away from me.
I feel a sense of panic wash over me. I don't know what I'm going to do if they take away the only thing that's been keeping me going.
The rise of hacker groups has also become a major concern. These groups are dedicated to taking down the QVRN, the network that powers all of the full-dive virtual reality games.
Their attacks have been getting more and more sophisticated, and it's clear that they're not going to give up easily. The servers for Quest on the QVRN crashed, and it was later revealed that it was due to a hacker attack by a group called Blue Turtle.
The servers for these games are massive, with Hundreds of millions of players logged in at any given time. The QVRN set new records in just the short amount of time since it had been released.
I then realized that virtual reality would probably end up fine and I hopped back into the world of Quest.
As I check my map and select a new quest, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement. I've been itching for a new challenge, and this quest looks like it might just be the one.
According to the quest description, I'll need to take on a group of water demons that have been causing trouble at a nearby lake. The recommended level for the quest is 20, but I'm feeling confident. I think I can take them on, even if I'm a little under-leveled.
As I approach the lake, I can't help but be impressed by the scenery. The water is a deep, vibrant blue, and the sun is shining down from a clear sky. The sounds of the birds and the rustling of the trees in the breeze fill the air, and the smell of the pine trees is almost intoxicating.
But as I get closer, I can see the water demons. They're a strange, unsettling sight, with pale blue skin and long, twisted tentacles. They seem to be writhing and undulating in the water as if they're alive. I take a deep breath and ready my sword, preparing to take on the challenge.
As I face off against the water demons, I decide to use my lightning slice attack. My sword glows with a bright aura of lightning, and I unleash it with a fierce strike. The attack chains off to hit multiple demons, but it doesn't seem to do much damage.
Before I can even react, I feel a sharp pain in my back as one of the demons sneaks up behind me and strikes. I feel a moment of intense agony, and then... nothing. I'm suddenly transported back to my safe point, which is just a short distance away from the lake.
I take a moment to catch my breath and assess the situation. I'm feeling frustrated and a little annoyed with myself for not being more careful.
I continue the quest, determined to see it through to the end. I kept dying over and over but came back to the quest area and kept attacking. I focus on slowly draining their health, chipping away at them bit by bit. It's a slow and tedious process, but eventually, I manage to take down all of the water demons.
As I walk back to the quest giver, a water knight, I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. I made a joke about "cheesing the system," and the water knight gives me a strange look as if he doesn't quite understand what I mean.
But when I see the amount of experience I've gained, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement. I'm now level 15, and I know that this means I'll be getting a pay increase of two dollars an hour. That's not a lot, but it's a start.
As I think about it, I realize that every quest I complete also gives me a little bit of bonus money in the real world. The water demon quest gives me fifty cents every time someone completes it. It's a small amount, but it adds up.
I start to wonder how the developers of Quest can afford to be so generous. But then I realize that the virtual economy is heavily influenced by the real-world economy. With robots slowly replacing jobs, the virtual economy might help stimulate the real-world economy in some ways.