On a summer Friday evening, the afterglow of the setting sun fell on narrow streets. Just off summer vacation, Ethan Drake dragged his tired body back home. It was the last day of work before school started in just over a week. Exhausted from the break, he planned to savor what remained of his summer.
Peeling off his sweat-soaked T-shirt, Ethan gave himself a cold shower, ate a simple dinner, and brewed his usual cup of coffee. The old fan in his room roared to life at its highest setting. He settled into his chair, booted up his computer, and clicked on the icon for his favorite game, Savage 6.
As the title animation played, Ethan's exhaustion melted away. His face brightened, and with a deft move of the mouse, he selected the hardest difficulty and launched a new game.
The moment the game began, he was fully alert. Land acquisition, negotiations, trades, military maneuvers, alliances—everything clicked into place. He operated with a fluid precision born of countless hours of play. This was his arena, and he was a seasoned player.
Just as he was about to click "Next Round," a notification appeared in the corner of his screen: "Come on?"
The message was from his online friend, Sam. They'd met through Savage 6 but never exchanged more than the essentials. Sam was blunt—this three-word invite was as close to conversation as he ever got. Yet, his skills were formidable. Their matches were grueling, but Ethan thrived on the challenge.
After an intense battle, Ethan leaned back, drained his coffee, and smirked at the victory screen. Winning against Sam was rare, which made it all the sweeter.
Usually, Sam disappeared after a game. But tonight, a new message came through:
"Want to play a more interesting strategy game?"
"??" Ethan typed back, eyebrows raised.
"Build a city-state, develop civilization, wage real wars."
Ethan frowned. His first instinct was skepticism—this had scam written all over it. But then curiosity stirred. The idea of something grander than Savage 6 tempted him. If this is real, it'd be incredible, he thought.
"Sure, if it exists, I'm in."
As soon as he hit send, a voice rang in his mind.
"System prompt: A qualified host has been detected. Do you accept the installation of the 'Civil Rise' program?"
"What the—?" Ethan muttered, scanning the room. He looked back at the screen where Sam had sent another message:
"Accept."
Realization hit Ethan like a bolt. This wasn't a joke—it was something big. His heart pounded as indecision gripped him. He could refuse and stay safe, but the promise of the unknown was too alluring.
With a steadying breath, he chose: Accept.
"System prompt: 'Civil Rise' installation in progress. Please stay awake..."
"System prompt: 'Civil Rise' installation complete!"
Before Ethan could process it, darkness enveloped him. He felt a chill so intense it made him shiver violently. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the glow of a fire. Instinctively, he moved closer for warmth.
"System prompt: Do you accept the friend request from player 'Sam'?"
"Player? Sam?" Ethan blinked, disoriented. The stark contrast between his room and this primal setting left his mind reeling. It finally clicked: Am I... in the game?
He accepted the request, and Sam's messages began streaming in:
"Messaging costs Civilization Points, the game's currency. They're precious, especially for newcomers. So don't waste them replying to me. Just listen."
Ethan read on, his brow furrowing.
"This is a real world of primitive civilizations. Forget the constraints of Savage 6. You have a six-month protection period, so no one can invade you. Use this time to grow your tribe."
"The natives here aren't pushovers. Be cautious but explore—it can lead to unexpected rewards. Check your stats and plan your development based on your strengths."
"Lastly, don't quit easily. Logging in or out costs Civilization Points, and you're starting with none. Good luck."
Sam's messages stopped. Ethan tried responding but confirmed the cost—10 Civilization Points per message—left him broke.