{Hector's home (Apartment number 3, 21), Haven City, Nuba Hills Apartment building 3, Early Morning}
Hector's body felt heavy as his eyes fluttered open. The faint light of dawn spilled into the room through the gaps in the curtains, casting long shadows across the floor. Every muscle in his body protested as he shifted on the bed, but his mind was restless, pulling him out of the comfort of sleep.
The memory of yesterday hit him like a wave... the encounter with the putrid woman, her lifeless eyes, and the inhuman groans that had followed. His breath quickened at the thought, but he forced himself to focus. If there were more of those things, he needed answers.
Hector sat up, rubbing his temples. His thoughts churned with questions. What the hell happened while I was out? He looked toward the barricaded door, the sofa still firmly in place. It was a small comfort, but he knew he couldn't afford to hide forever.
His stomach growled loudly, reminding him of a more immediate concern. His dry throat and gnawing hunger demanded his attention. With a groan, Hector swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, his muscles protesting the movement. He shuffled into the kitchen, the quietness of the apartment pressing down on him like a heavy weight.
Reaching for a glass, he filled it with water from the tap, taking a few long gulps to soothe his parched throat. Then, he turned his attention to breakfast. Opening the fridge, Hector gathered the ingredients he needed. Minutes later, the aroma of an omelette filled with spinach and tomato wafted through the air, mingling with the soft sizzle from the pan. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and sat at the small table in his kitchen.
As he ate, Hector's mind wandered back to the strange dream he'd had the night before. "That was weird," he muttered between bites. "I swear I remember hearing a voice speaking... Something about a system and a shop." He shook his head, a faint smirk on his face. "I suppose all the stress from yesterday caused me some hallucinations."
Just as he lifted his fork for another bite, a faint chime rang in his ears, almost imperceptible but unmistakably there. He froze, his hand hovering mid-air as his eyes darted around the room.
A translucent window blinked into existence in front of him, startling him enough to drop his fork onto the plate.
[Welcome to the Survival System.]
User: Hector.
Basic functionalities are now active.
Hector blinked, his heart pounding. The words seemed to hover in mid-air, for a moment, he considered the idea that he might still be dreaming.
As he stared at the window, another message appeared:
[The Survival Shop is now accessible.]
[Advanced functionalities remain locked. Progress to unlock further capabilities.]
Hector leaned back in his chair, his breakfast momentarily forgotten. His mind raced, trying to reconcile what he was seeing with the reality he thought he knew.
"This... can't be real," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the faint hum of the system's interface. But deep down, he knew this wasn't some fever-induced hallucination.
The world outside his door had already changed beyond recognition. Now, it seemed, either his own reality was starting to shift as well or he had lost his mind.
Hector stared at the floating system window, trying to process what he is seeing. He blinked in hopes it would go away but it persisted. Tentatively, he reached out, half-expecting his hand to pass through the strange projection. Instead, his finger seemed to hover just above the surface, and the window reacted, a soft glow pulsed where he touched it.
His breath hitched. "Not a hallucination," he murmured.
"What the hell is it?" he questioned and surprisingly it answered
The glowing window shimmered as Hector's selection registered. A soft chime sounded, followed by a new text appearing, the letters forming with fluid grace.
Congratulations, Hector Johanson.
Out of the billions who inhabit this world, you have been chosen to become a Player in the Survival System.
Hector's brows furrowed. "Chosen? By who?" he muttered, but the system continued without acknowledging his question.
The Survival System is designed to provide its users with tools and knowledge necessary for survival.
As a Player, you will gain access to various features, each unlocking as you progress. Below is an overview of your currently available functionalities:
The screen shifted, displaying a neat list:
Info Screen: Track vital stats such as Health Points (HP), Level, Experience Points (EXP), Traits, and Skills.
Skill Tree: A dynamic interface where new skills can be unlocked as you progress.
Inventory: (Locked)
Missions: (Locked until the end of the tutorial)
[????????]
[????????]
"Stats? Skills?" Hector frowned, trying to wrap his head around the implications "Is this some sort of video game."
Survival Shop: The systems premiere feature allowing the user to access a store where he can buy whatever his hearts desire... for a price of course
Would you like to learn more?
-Yes- -No-
After a moment's hesitation, he let out a slow breath and tapped Yes.
Welcome to the Survival Shop
The Survival Shop is a resource hub designed to provide Players with essential tools, equipment, and enhancements to aid in survival. Here is an overview of its functionalities:
Purchasing Items:
Players can purchase anything ranging from basic supplies (e.g., food, water, medical kits) to advanced tools, weapons, and gear.
Items are categorized based on utility: Combat, Survival, Medical, Miscellaneous ... etc.
The shop has much more functionalities that will be unlocked as the user progresses.
Currency:
The shop uses a currency known as life points. It can be earned by various methods
Vanquishing foes, completing different tasks or simply by reaching survival mile stones
Shop keeper's Rules and Restrictions:
You the user can buy anything as long as you have LP however Some items are locked behind specific skill levels, achievements or other requirements.
You the user is the only one who can use the shop and interact with the system.
Items are non-refundable. Choose wisely before purchasing.
The shop inventory is limited and will increase as you advance. It will restock every 24 hours in real-world time and has weekly limited offers.
Prices and transaction time: the shop prices are dependent on the state of the world and the more expensive and impactful a transaction is the longer it will take to finish
The system concluded its explanation with a final prompt.
Would you like to access the shop now, or proceed to the tutorial ?
[-Access Shop- -Proceed to Tutorial-]
Hector remained silent as he tried to process what he is seeing or hearing. It felt overwhelming he could feel his forehead aching, he barely understands the situation outside his door and now he is faced with this, whatever it is.
Hector hesitated for a moment, then selected the "Access Shop" option. The glowing interface shimmered, and a new screen materialized before his eyes, displaying an array of categories and items as well as how much LP he has.
The more the system revealed, the more it felt like a video game.
Hector scanned the screen, noting how most of the sections were grayed out, inaccessible due to his current low level or not meeting whatever arbitrary requirements they had.
A bold notification at the top of the screen drew his attention:
Featured Item: "Starter Kit"
Description: A curated package containing essential survival tools, including water, food, a map of the local area, and a combat knife.
Cost: 1000 LP
Status: Insufficient Balance
The interface added a note beneath the "Starter Kit":
Tip: Complete tasks and earn LP to unlock better items and improve your chances of survival.
Would you like to proceed to tutorial?
-Yes- -No-
As he observed the screen once more Hector came to a chilling realization "For whatever reason this system seems to put quite the emphasis on survival." Hector stated "Could it be related to what I experienced yesterday?... what I saw outside my window?" He questioned the situation he finds himself in, and with no clear option he decided to proceed to the tutorial "maybe there I will find my answers" he murmured. Hector pressed Yes
Tutorial Mission: Learning the Basics of Survival and Understanding Your World.
A faint hum resonated in the room as an intricate display unfolded before him, like a holographic projection. Images of bustling cities, crowds, and vibrant streets began to appear, accompanied by a calm, monotone voice.
"The world you knew began to change subtly at first. An illness, thought to be a severe cold, appeared in scattered locations. Its spread was unremarkable—just another sickness among many. Days later, however, reports emerged of people collapsing in public spaces, their bodies giving out without warning."
The cheerful scenes shifted, replaced by crowded hospitals, frantic news anchors, and distraught families. Hector's stomach churned as he saw images of patients, their faces pale and gaunt, struggling to breathe.
"Global cases surged within days. Panic ensued as the illness revealed its second stage—unpredictable violence among the afflicted. Infected individuals attacked without provocation, driven by a primal, homicidal rage. Governments struggled to contain the spread, issuing curfews and quarantines."
The screen showed snippets of official warnings, evacuation orders, and chaotic protests.
"In an effort to maintain order, communications were systematically shut down. Internet services, mobile networks, and public broadcasts ceased, leaving populations isolated and uninformed. Without the ability to coordinate, the fall was swift. Within a single week, entire cities were overrun, reduced to husks of their former selves."
Hector's breath hitched as images of destruction filled the screen... buildings burned, streets littered with abandoned cars, and bodies lying motionless. He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles white.
The screen flickered, and the message faded, leaving Hector staring at his reflection in the now-dormant projection. A cold sweat clung to his skin as the enormity of what he had just learned sank in.
He sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the tutorial pressing down on him like a heavy shroud. He thought back to the lifeless eyes of the woman in the hallway, her guttural groans echoing in his mind.
"This… this isn't just a nightmare," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I was lucky to survive the chaos simply because I was bed ridden for a week." he affirmed.
Hector leaned back in his chair, his mind racing with the implications of the tutorial. He traced back through the system's description of the pandemic: an unknown illness spreading like wildfire, beginning with flu-like symptoms before escalating into violence and chaos.
His breath caught as a chilling thought pierced through the haze of information. "A week ago, I was struck with a fever. A terrible fever that left me bedridden, delirious..."
He pushed his plate aside, suddenly nauseous. His hands trembled as he pressed his fingers against his forehead, as if trying to remember every detail. He had spent days in a state of feverish confusion, his body burning, the world around him a blur. His memories from that time were fragments... dreams of strange voices, shadows moving beyond his vision, and a crushing sense of helplessness.
The system's words echoed in his mind: "The illness begins subtly...like a severe cold."
"No," he whispered, shaking his head. But the timeline was undeniable. The world had fallen in just a week... the same week he had been incapacitated. And now, here he was, awake and coherent while the world outside crumbled.
Hector's heart pounded in his chest. "Could I have been infected?" he wondered, his mouth dry. The possibility sent a shiver down his spine. If the fever was part of the illness, why hadn't he turned violent like the others? Why had he survived when so many hadn't?
He forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the bathroom mirror. His reflection stared back, pale and gaunt, but unmistakably human. He studied his eyes, searching for some sign—any hint—that he might still be infected. They looked the same as always, yet he couldn't shake the dread coiling in his stomach.
"If I was infected…" he muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Why am I still here? Did I fight it off? Or is it… waiting?"
The thought filled him with unease. He clenched his fists, the chill in the air biting against his skin. If he had somehow survived the fever, it wasn't luck—it couldn't be. Maybe the system had something to do with it. Maybe being "chosen" was more than just a random stroke of fate.
He took a deep breath and stared at his reflection, his determination hardening. If the fever had marked him, if it had changed him, then he needed to understand how—and why. Answers wouldn't come from speculation. They'd come from action.
"I don't know what's happening to me," he said to his reflection, his voice firm despite the fear. "But I'm not going to let it stop me. I survived for a reason. And I'll figure out what that reason is."
Hector turned back to the system screen, his jaw set. Whatever had happened to him, whatever he had become, he was alive. And that was enough for now.