CHAPTER 3
"Am I being messed with or what?!'
He laughed, tapping his head. Maybe his head had been messed with after tripping on a naked wire. A lot of things could go wrong from trying to die by electrocution.
'But hallucination? Seriously?'
Hyunwo scoffed and stood up, going to the kitchen.
There should be little of the rice he cooked yesterday morning. Hopefully, it had not spoilt, he would just boil it and eat it this morning. Call his homeroom teacher that he wouldn't be coming to school today and take the day to rest.
Tomorrow the bullying resumes.
Hyunwo took the rice boiler and plugged it to the electricity outlet, a shiver of goosebumps ran it course through his whole body as he switched the wall socket on.
He looked at it tensely for a couple of seconds and shook his head rigorously.
'I can't believe I almost thought of killing myself.'
Or he actually did. Was it cowardice or bravery?
Vincent wondered. If he had the balls to challenge death at its own game, why didn't he just take up the challenge to change for the better and fight for his freedom. He had still had two and half years to spend in Mereung high school.
'I can't spend two years… being bullied. Well, considering that they were some in senior year. It probably might not be that long…'
Vincent paused his thoughts. Thinking about it carefully.
Was it really applicable? Or they would just hand over things to the younger ones and the chain of suffering will only continue. Then he would graduate school as that pathetic guy who was always bullied.
And even if he is lucky enough to get into a college or university that none of them attends, there surely would he another set of bullies whom he might catch their fancy and like that things get even worse for him.
It's a chain that might not end if he does not put a stop to it.
Vincent thought about that and other things as he waited for the rice to boil a bit. Then he took a sealed pack of ramyeon and opened it.
When the rice had boiled, he sieves its boiled water and pours it into the ramyeon, waiting another few minute for the thing to soak.
After that he mixes the ramyeon together with the rice, grabs himself a pair of chopsticks and walks out of the kitchen joyfully anticipating his weird combination of food.
Then with a satisfied smile on his face, he started to dig in. He spent a few minutes, eating and really enjoyed it.
He was done after a couple of minutes and laid on his back, rubbing his full stomach.
'Take that you piece of crap illumination telling me rubbish.'
Thinking about the whole thing just caused him to laugh again.
"Really though… what was that?" He mumbled.
A peaceful silence followed afterwards. As he looked at the ceiling, his vision began to get blurry, slumbering setting slowly into his soul.
He struggled to his feet and took the bowl to the kitchen.
'I'll just wash it when I wake up…'
He sluggishly found his way back to his bed and fell on it. A second or two later he had zoned off completely… deeply asleep.
—
Then three hours later… it happened.
[Danger! Danger!! Danger!!!]
[You have failed the quest]
[You have entered critical hunger state]
[You might die if you don't eat a delicious food in the next fifteen minutes]
Vincent was struck awake by the angry gnawing in his stomach. It clawed relentlessly at his insides, wringing his organs in its merciless jaws.
The pain was like a living thing trapped inside him, thrashing in desperation to break free. It writhed and twisted, sinking razor sharp teeth deeper and deeper into the tender flesh of his empty belly.
His eyes became pale with confusion and frustration. He doubled over, wrapped his arms around his midsection hoping to subdue the agonized howls echoing from within.
But there was no escape, no relief. The ravenous pangs were relentless, screaming to be satisfied. It felt as if blazing hands were clutching his intestines, squeezing and twisting until they were ready to rupture.
Suddenly, he remembered what he had seen a couple of hours ago.
More so, it was looming before his eyes now. In red letters, showing him a countdown.
[You have until 00:13:07 till you die of hunger]
'What? Die of hunger?!'
He couldn't scream the words out even if he wanted to. But what in the damned world was this? Die of hunger? It was real. The floating panel and what it had said was actually real?!
But why?
What is happening?!
'I ate rice and ramyeon and I could swear I was filled. How can I be so hungry…' He couldn't complete the thought and just groaned in pain, holding his stomach.
[Danger Alert!!!]
[Spend a fortune on food before the time elapses. Or you will die from hunger.]
"Cruel!" Hyunwo screamed.
There was no other worde for this. It was pure wickedness. He lived on budget and his spending was very calculated. It would be an unreasonable act of carelessness to spend a fortune on food?
Not when he could make do with what he had.
[The time rate has been cut short by five minutes]
[You have until 00:09:59 till you die from hunger.]
Vincent's eyes widened like it would spill out of his socket. They were hollow and visibly consumed by starvation. Like the eyes of a starved terror.
He scrambled up so roughly and quickly, checking for his phone first on the table then quickly crawled to his backpack. He couldn't even remember bringing it home…
'The chicken delivery!'
Since the instruction was to spend a fortune. Then he just had to do just that. He growled angrily as he dialed the chicken guy's contact.
Frustration was wearing a fat ass on his face as the guy's line rang and he wasn't picking up. Just when his anger had reached it pick. The chicken guy picked.
"Annyeonghaseyo(Hello)"
He cut in before the guy could communicate his intro lines.
"I want ten servings of fried chicken!! Right now, get it to 123-456245 Maple Street,
Brookside building, floor three room five!!"
The chicken guy was silent for a second but sounded immediately after…
"Okay, ten servings of fried chicken that's 157 dollars do you want to transfer or pay on delivery?"
"I'll pay on delivery so get here in the next five minutes!! I'm going to die!!" He screamed with all that was left in him and fell face to the roof.
He spread his arms and could barely breathe. Everything was becoming a blur again. In fact, this time worse, his entire room seemed to be dancing.
His senses were in disarray, he was hollow, completely consumed by starvation from the inside out.
The bite of hunger had become a gnashing maw, threatening to devour him whole if he couldn't find something, anything, to fill its endless void.
The voracious ache was alive, burrowing deeper with every pulse of pain. He was certain he could almost hear his stomach beginning to digest itself, so primal and severe was its bite.
And the delivery guy was not here yet. How long has it been since he called the guy…
Vincent couldn't even gather the strength to lift his phone, he felt weak and voraciously hungry.
He managed to put his hands inside his backpack, brought out a book and sluggishly turned open its pages, in the middle of it was sitting two pretty crisp dollar bill, flowing in purplish ink.
He squeezed the 200 dollar notes tightly in his hands, awaiting the delivery guy… or his death. Depending on the one that arrives faster.
[You have less than five minutes till you die from hunger.]
[00:04:58]
Vincent rolled back and forth across his tiny studio apartment, his stomach knotting itself into furious cramps of hunger.
Where the hell is the damned delivery guy?!!
He glanced at his phone - he couldn't even tell how far it would take the guy to come. He had never been to a chicken restaurant before or any restaurant.
He was content with making food for himself and managing his money well.
With each glance at the ticking clock, Vincent could feel his impatience smoldering, thembers of anger glowing hotter.
He rubbed his grumbling belly, the hunger bites were sharper now, fueling his quiet rage.
[You have less then three minutes till you die from hunger!]
The redness of the letter seem to get brighter and fiercer before Vincent's eyes, shimmering with an ethereal glow.
'Damn I'll just kill the delivery guy! Or I'll just kill this damned illusion! Frustration! I'll just kill everyone damnit!!'
He clenched his fists, knuckles nearly as white as the bare walls of his apartment. He imagined himself marching down to the chicken shop to give them a piece of his mind, unleashing a few choice words for their utter lack of urgency. Maybe a bit of shouting would light the appropriate fire under their sorry behinds.
Every second was running out on him… he was literally dying from hunger.
[You have less than two minutes to die from hunger!!]
At this point, Vincent's eyes was getting dim, dark and lifeless. He just stared blankly at the roof, maybe that whatever happens happens.
Maybe it was for the best…
At least this way, he wouldn't have to face bullying again. If death by electrocution didn't work, who knew death by hunger would have been a better choice.
Vincent allowed a lame smile.
[You have less than one minute to die from hunger!!!]
Again, it's not an illusion… what in the world was happening to him?
Why was he seeing things…
What was all of this shit for…
'Frustration!'
[YOU HAVE LESS THAN 50 SECONDS TO DIE FROM HUNGER]
He gritted his teeth, a lot of emotions whirled inside of him, there were so many regrets, so many hate to the world, his useless father who does not even care that he exists.
[YOU HAVE LESS THAN 40 SECONDS TO DIE FROM HUNGER]
The ruthless hierarchy that rides the privileges of mundane people like horseback, the godforsaken right that spoilt brat think they earned.
[YOU HAVE LESS THAN 30 SECONDS TO DIE FROM HUNGER]
…And how he wanted to crash down their entire world. Make them realize that an insignificant boy from the countryside, can grow to become a fearsome lawyer that even the authority of the country will respect and pay attention to.
[YOU HAVE LESS THAN 20 SECONDS TO DIE FROM HUNGER]
That dream… it was all gone… now…?
Knock knock knock.
Vincent did not know he had any reserve of strength left. It was like his legs gained heavenly speed as he heard knock. He sprinted to the door and swung it open.
Roughly collecting the bags of chicken from the delivery guy… girl without caring who it was.
The lady lowered her cap immediately she saw him, she seemed shocked for some reason but Vincent did not notice nor did he care. He was too fixated on the chicken to care about anything.
He just collected it, handed her the money and smacked the door on her face before she could attempt to return his change.
The delivery lady was left standing in front of his closed door with a very deep frown on her face. She looked at the notes in her hand, a cute smile forming on her face.
"I earned my first tip!"
Throwing one last scowl at Vincent's metallic door, she turned and marched away, her lithe but curvaceous body, swaying like the gentle wind.
[YOU HAVE LESS THAN 10 SECONDS TO DIE FROM HUNGER]
Finally - sustenance!
Vincent ripped open the white parcel bag, mouth already watering wildly. He didn't bother finding plates or cutlery. He pulled out a golden crispy thigh and sank his teeth into the hot flesh.
The tender meat seemed to melt on his tongue. In reckless bites, he tore meat from bone until all that remained was a barren carcass.
The first parcel bag… the second… third… fourth. Even after the panel in front of him stopped showing, he did not stop and went rigorously at all the chickens like was at war.
He consumed all ten servings of chicken like a monster.
Then for the first time he took a pause when he saw.
[Congratulations]
[You have gained a S+ unique attribute from special quest scenerio]
Special Quest Scenerio: [You dared to challenge the boundaries of your stomach, not limited by the laws that bend us to world, hunger should not be given into like that. You held on for the whole time and only ate ten seconds until your death. That is commendable! To top it all, you consumed servings that should have been for ten people. Because of it you have unlocked the unique attribute GLUTTONY]