"Remember, there's only one objective in the Apocalypse Game."
"Survive. Survive. Survive."
The amplified voice boomed, echoing across the plaza. "Memorize these key points. Your life, and the survival of our base city, depends on it."
"One: Identify the Apocalypse Event immediately upon entry. Gather relevant supplies accordingly. This is critical."
"Two: Exercise extreme caution when encountering anyone, be they scavengers, rebels, refugees, or even other survivors, especially in the early stages when you lack self-defense capabilities."
"Three: Collect valuables. These could buy your life if captured by refugees."
"Four: Establish a secure shelter as soon as possible. A good shelter is key to surviving the initial phase and crucial for long-term survival."
"Five: Quickly assess your environment – city, grassland, wilderness, forest, or desert – and apply survival protocols as per your training."
"Six: Shelter upgrade requirements vary by zone. Don't blindly follow other survivors' examples. Refer to the in-game guidance provided by the Apocalypse Game."
A thousand people stood in a hushed, anxious mass before the colossal bronze structure, the loudspeaker's relentless pronouncements hammering into their ears. Thomas Smyth frowned, etching the instructions into his memory.
Just my luck, he thought grimly. A freakin' apocalypse.
It had only been a day since he'd arrived in this world, but Thomas already understood the dire situation. This parallel Earth, three years prior, had been ensnared by the Apocalypse Game during the solar system's orbit around the galactic center. Disasters had erupted globally: volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, heatwaves, pandemics, blizzards… In just six months, the planet's population had plummeted by eighty percent, civilization teetering on the brink of collapse.
That's when the Apocalypse Game officially began.
One hundred bronze structures materialized across the globe, becoming the nuclei of human base cities. Each month, each city could send between fifty and a thousand people into the Game for survival challenges, earning survival supplies based on the number who survived each cyclical apocalyptic event. These supplies were the lifeblood of the struggling cities.
Thomas was one of the unlucky thousand chosen this month.
He followed the crowd into the bronze edifice, revealing a massive portal within. Reaching the shimmering gateway, he rubbed his hands nervously and stepped forward.
Too bad we can't bring anything in, he thought, the idea barely formed before the world went black.
He blinked, his vision adjusting to the desolate cityscape. Wrecked cars littered the streets, buildings stood scarred and broken, shattered glass crunching underfoot. Bullet holes pockmarked the walls, silent testament to past violence.
He found himself inside a looted convenience store. A single bottle of water lay abandoned on the floor. He snatched it up, tucking it into his jacket pocket. Every resource, no matter how small, was precious now.
A game interface materialized before him, displaying information about the Apocalypse Game. A stark warning dominated the screen:
Apocalypse Event in seven days: Polar Blizzard. Duration: 3 days.
A blizzard? Fantastic, Thomas thought sarcastically. Shelter choice is going to be paramount. Underground is ideal.
He navigated the interface: Shelter (grayed out), Backpack, Chat. He opened his Backpack, revealing sub-menus: Items, Health, Skills, Crafting. He placed the water bottle in his five-slot Item inventory, surprised to find it occupied two slots. Clearly, item size mattered. He'd need to find a backpack to increase his carrying capacity.
The Health tab displayed body temperature, hunger, thirst, HP, and stamina. Skills and Crafting were both empty.
Gamified survival stats, huh?
He opened the Chat window: Friends (empty), Zone Chat, World Chat. World Chat scrolled with frantic messages:
Damn it, I spawned in the grasslands! Middle of nowhere!
Did you guys see the event? Polar blizzard! We're screwed!
Help! Refugees are chasing me in the city!
Refugees spotted! Be careful everyone!
Guess what I found? A rebel military base on the coast! Trying to infiltrate…
What kind of world is this? Thomas thought, scrolling through the chaotic messages. He noticed a small speaker icon next to World Chat, displaying the number "1." Focusing on it revealed a message:
Players have 1 World Chat message per day.
One message. He'd have to make it count. Zone Chat was similar, except without the message limit. He noticed a small figure icon in the corner, followed by the number 1000. Current survivors in the zone, I guess.
Clicking on a random player's avatar brought up three options: Whisper, Trade, Block. Simple enough.
He checked the time: 4 PM. Sunset wasn't far off. Finding shelter was his top priority.
Just then, a new prompt appeared in his mind:
Apocalypse Game Super Monopoly Beta Plugin ready. Bind?
"Bind," Thomas said, a flicker of hope igniting within him.
As his voice faded, the system responded:
Apocalypse Game Super Monopoly Beta Plugin bound successfully.
One daily dice roll available. Current rolls: 1.
Note: This is a beta version. The plugin will upgrade to the full version after the survivor endures the first Apocalypse Event.
A fist-sized die materialized before him, along with a Super Monopoly map resembling a miniature city. Squares representing various locations and events were laid out, and a tiny version of himself stood at the starting point, labeled "Convenience Store." It was just like the board game – roll the die, move your piece, reap the rewards.
With a mental command, the die tumbled, landing on:
3
His miniature self hopped forward three spaces, landing on a square depicting a subway station.
Purchase Subway Garden Station for 250 points?
Thomas noticed a "Starting Funds" section on the interface, displaying 500 points.
"So I have 500 points to start?"
He didn't fully understand the significance of the station, but he knew this was an investment game. Purchases equaled progress.
"Purchase station," he confirmed.
250 points deducted. Subway Garden Station purchased.
A detailed 3D map of the station flooded his mind, revealing every room and item within. He stared, stunned, then grinned.
A blueprint of the station! Jackpot!
In this apocalyptic wasteland, resources were king. And now, he had an inside track. He knew the station's layout like the back of his hand. The supplies within were practically his already.
The map was even live-updating. He could see several moving green dots – rats, he realized – scurrying through the station.
So that means… A thought sparked. Anyone entering the station would be under his surveillance. The ultimate tactical advantage.
He studied the map, his eyes settling on a secluded room. Perfect for a shelter. Hidden, spacious, and with a few glimmering items marked within.
He cautiously exited the convenience store, heading towards the station. Thankfully, it was only a couple hundred meters away. He glanced around the deserted street, then broke into a run, the distant sounds of gunfire and explosions echoing in the air.
He reached the Garden Subway Station entrance and descended into the dimly lit passage, following the mental map towards his chosen room. The air hung heavy with the scent of dust and decay. The marble floor, however, was surprisingly clean, as if the city's descent into chaos had been recent and swift.
He navigated the twisting corridors, arriving at a concealed metal door. After confirming the room was clear, he pushed it open. A concrete staircase descended into darkness, illuminated by a faint glow.
He followed the stairs down, his hand brushing against a light switch. He flipped it. The fluorescent lights flickered to life. The city's power grid, at least, was still functioning, likely thanks to the rebel occupation.
The room opened into an L-shaped space, clearly a former security monitoring room. A simple cot stood against one wall, facing a bank of monitors. Only one screen flickered with static – the source of the faint light.
He opened the Shelter tab in his interface. It was no longer grayed out.
Designate this location as your shelter?
Warning: Shelter location cannot be changed once designated!
"Confirm."
The game initiated the shelter conversion process:
1%… 5%… 18%… 34%… 100%
Shelter designation complete!
Information about his new shelter appeared on the screen:
Shelter
Owner: Thomas Smyth
Current Facilities: Rest Area, Door
Available Facilities: None
Area: 82 sq m
The information was sparse. He focused on the two existing facilities:
Rest Area
Effect: Restores 80% Stamina during sleep. Consumes 40% Hunger, 30% Thirst.
Note: Trust us, it's better than sleeping on the floor.
Next Stage: Rest Area Level 1
Requirements: 5000 Apocalypse Coins, Blanket x1, Matches x1
Upgrade Time: 30 minutes
Current resources insufficient for upgrade.
---
Shelter Security Door
Effect: Prevents animal intrusion.
Note: Yes, it only stops animals.
Next Stage: Shelter Security Reinforced Door Level 1
Requirements: 25000 Apocalypse Coins, Reinforced Lock x1, Tape Measure x1
Upgrade Time: 30 minutes
Current resources insufficient for upgrade.
Below the facility descriptions was a list of other constructible facilities: Ventilation, Storage, Water Collector, Kitchen… All grayed out, unavailable due to lack of resources. The importance of resource gathering was becoming increasingly clear.
Still, his shelter was established. And it was far superior to what most other players likely had at this stage. His gaze drifted to the monitoring station desk, where the room's few remaining items lay.
He approached the desk. Three computer monitors sat dark and lifeless. A subway security uniform was draped over a chair. He picked it up, searching the pockets. His fingers brushed against something hard. He froze, then his eyes widened in disbelief. He pulled out a pistol and holster.
The item's information appeared:
Glock 17 Pistol
Type: Pistol
Size: 2x1
Effective Range: 50m
Firing Mode: Semi-automatic
Caliber: 9x19mm
Magazine Capacity: 17 rounds