A ruined city street, several blocks from what was once a bustling downtown area. It's been six months since the Shattering—a catastrophic event that unleashed a mutagenic virus, transforming much of the population into monstrous creatures and collapsing society.
The air is thick with dust and the smell of decay. Mutated vegetation, thick and twisted, sprouts from cracks in the pavement and climbs the skeletal remains of buildings.
Jared Jones, 24, isn't built like a soldier. He's of average height, lean, with the wiry strength of someone who's had to learn to be resourceful. His clothes are a patchwork of scavenged finds—a faded, reinforced leather jacket over a worn t-shirt, cargo pants ripped at the knees, and sturdy boots that have seen better days. He carries a backpack, almost pathetically empty, and his only weapon is a metal pipe he's painstakingly sharpened into a makeshift spear.
Before the Shattering, Jared was a business management student at the local university. He'd spent his days learning about supply chains, marketing strategies, and profit margins—knowledge that now felt utterly, cruelly irrelevant. He often jokes, bitterly, to himself that he's finally getting his "practical experience."
He's currently picking his way through the ruins of what used to be Electronics Emporium, a store he vaguely remembers visiting once to buy a new phone charger. Now, it's a hollowed-out shell, its shelves stripped bare, wires dangling from the ceiling like metallic vines.
Jared moves cautiously, his senses on high alert. He knows that even the smallest sound can attract unwanted attention. He's looking for anything of value – batteries, intact circuit boards, even lengths of copper wire. Anything he can trade for food or other necessities.
"Come on, come on," he mutters to himself, kicking aside a pile of rubble. "Gotta be something left here... anything."
He spots a glint of metal beneath a collapsed display case. He kneels, carefully pulling away the debris. It's a small, portable generator – mostly intact. A surge of hope flares in his chest. This could be worth something.
Suddenly, a chittering sound pierces the silence. Jared freezes, his hand instinctively tightening around his spear. The sound comes again, closer this time, followed by the scuttling of claws on concrete.
He slowly turns, his eyes scanning the shadows. From behind a toppled shelf, a pair of glowing red eyes appear. Then another, and another. Skitterers.
Skitterers are mutated rats, grown to the size of small dogs. Their fur is patchy and matted, their teeth are oversized and needle-sharp, and their claws are like razors. They're relatively weak individually, but they're fast, and they often hunt in packs.
"Just great," Jared sighed, bracing himself. "Just what I needed."
Three Skitterers emerged from the darkness, their eyes fixed on Jared. They hiss, their bodies low to the ground, ready to pounce.
Jared took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He'd faced Skitterers before, but it never got easier.
"Alright, you ugly rodents," he says, his voice surprisingly steady. "Let's get this over with."
The first Skitterer lunges. Jared sidesteps, thrusting his spear forward. The sharpened metal pierces the creature's flank, drawing a screech of pain. He pulls the spear free and spins just as the second Skitterer attacks. He managed to deflect its claws with the pipe, but the force of the impact jarred his arm.
The third Skitterer circles, looking for an opening. Jared keeps his eyes on it, feinting with his spear, trying to keep them at bay.
The fight is short and brutal. Jared's spear skills, honed through necessity, are surprisingly effective. He lands a killing blow on the second Skitterer, driving the spear through its skull. The third Skitterer, momentarily hesitant, gives Jared the opening he needs. He charges, delivering a final, decisive thrust.
He stands there, breathing heavily, his body covered in sweat and grime. He checked himself for injuries, finding a shallow scratch on his arm where the second Skitterer had grazed him.
"Damn it," he mutters, tearing a strip of cloth from his shirt to bandage the wound. "Close one."
He looks at the three dead Skitterers. He knows he should be grateful for the small victory, but all he feels is a weary resignation. This is his life now – a constant struggle for survival.
As Jared holds the crystals, a strange sensation washes over him. A tingling in his fingertips, a warmth spreading through his body. He looks down at the crystals, and they suddenly begin to glow with an intense blue light.
Jared recoils, dropping the crystals in surprise. "What the...?"
The light intensifies, filling his vision. He stumbles back, shielding his eyes. He feels a strange pressure in his head, a sensation of something… connecting.
Then, a voice. Clear, calm, and utterly unexpected. It seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
System Voice: [Business Tycoon System Activated. Binding to Host: Jared Jones. Commencing Initialization...]
Jared freezes, his mind reeling. He looks around wildly, searching for the source of the voice. He sees nothing but the ruined store, the dead Skitterers, and the blinding blue light.
"Who's there?" he shouts, his voice trembling. "Show yourself!"
System Voice: [Greetings, Host. I am the Business Tycoon System, a program designed to aid in societal reconstruction and economic growth. You have been selected as my host due to your unique aptitude and the current environmental conditions.]
Jared stares blankly at the empty air. He pinches himself, hard. He's not dreaming. He glances at his arm, checking the scratch he was worrying about.
"Aptitude? What aptitude?" Jared asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "I'm a business student, not a… a… whatever this is!"
A holographic interface shimmers into existence in front of him. It's a sleek, transparent panel, displaying a series of menus and icons. It looks like something out of a science fiction movie.
System Interface: [Status], [Shop], [Quests], [Inventory], [Skills]
System Voice: [Your pre-shattering education in business management, combined with your demonstrated resourcefulness and survival skills in the current environment, make you an ideal candidate for hosting the System. My purpose is to provide you with the tools and guidance necessary to establish and manage successful businesses, thereby contributing to the rebuilding of society.]
Jared stares at the interface, his jaw slack. He reaches out a tentative hand, touching the holographic panel. It feels solid, real.
"You're… you're a computer program?" he asks, still struggling to grasp the situation. "Inside my head?"
System Voice: [Affirmative. I am a sophisticated AI integrated with your neural network. I am not 'inside your head' in the literal sense, but I am directly interfaced with your cognitive functions.]
Jared runs a hand through his hair, feeling a headache coming on. "This is insane," he mutters. "I'm losing it. I've finally cracked."
System Voice: [Your vital signs are consistent with elevated stress levels but not with mental instability. I assure you, Host, this is real.]
System Voice: [Commencing Tutorial. Please observe the 'Quests' menu.]
A section of the holographic interface highlights, drawing Jared's attention to the [Quests] icon.
The [Quests] menu opens, displaying a single entry:
[Quest Received: Survival Basics: Acquire 5 Common Energy Crystals.
Objective: Obtain 5 Common Energy Crystals.
Reward: [Blueprint: Basic Stall], [Skill: Appraisal (Rank 1)]
Time Limit: None
Failure Condition: None]
Jared stares at the quest. He looks at the three energy crystals he's already collected. He looks back at the quest.
"Five crystals…" he says slowly. "I… I already have three."
System Voice: [Correct. Your current progress is 3/5 Common Energy Crystals.]
A flicker of understanding – and something that might be hope – sparks in Jared's eyes. He looks at the dead Skitterers, then back at the quest.
"So… if I kill two more of those things… I get a… 'Basic Stall' blueprint? And a… skill?" he asks, still hesitant.
System Voice: [Affirmative. The 'Basic Stall' blueprint will allow you to construct a rudimentary trading post. The 'Appraisal' skill will allow you to assess the value and potential uses of items and resources.]
Jared considers this. A trading post… a way to actually sell the things he scavenges, instead of just bartering them for scraps. And a skill that could help him find more valuable items…
It's still insane. It's still completely unbelievable. But… it's also an opportunity. A chance to do more than just survive. A chance to maybe, just maybe, build something.
"Okay," he says, his voice gaining a bit of strength. "Okay, let's do this."
He picks up his spear, his grip tightening. He looks around the ruined store, his eyes narrowed, searching for more Skitterers.
He finds them. Two more, lurking near the back of the store, drawn by the scent of blood.
"Alright, you two," he says, a grim smile spreading across his face. "Let's get this over with. I've got a business to build."
The fight is quicker this time. Jared is more confident, more focused. He knows what to expect, and he uses his spear with greater precision. He takes down the two Skitterers with relative ease.
He retrieves the energy crystals from their bodies, bringing his total to five.
As soon as he picks up the fifth crystal, the System interface flashes.
System Voice: [Quest Complete: Survival Basics. Rewarding Host…]
Reward Received: [Blueprint: Basic Stall]
Reward Received: [Skill: Appraisal (Rank 1)]
System Voice: [The 'Basic Stall' blueprint has been added to your Inventory. The 'Appraisal' skill has been added to your Skills menu. You may access these at any time.]
Jared opens his [Inventory] menu. The five energy crystals are listed, along with the new blueprint. He then opens the [Skills] menu and finds [Appraisal (Rank 1)].
System Voice: [To use the 'Appraisal' skill, focus on the target object and activate the skill through the Skills menu or by mental command. I recommend testing the skill now.]
Jared looks around, spotting a piece of scrap metal lying near the entrance of the store. He focuses on it, mentally commanding, "Appraisal."
The System interface flickers, and information appears next to the scrap metal:
Appraisal Result: [Scrap Metal (Low Grade). Potential Uses: Construction Material (Low Quality), Weapon Crafting (Crude). Market Value: 0.1 Common Energy Crystals.]
Jared's eyes widen. This… this is incredibly useful. He can now instantly assess the value of anything he finds. No more guessing, no more wasted time.
He looks at the blueprint for the Basic Stall, then back at the ruined city around him. He takes a deep breath, a new determination hardening his gaze.
"Apocalypse Startup," he murmurs, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Let's see what we can do."
Jared begins to consider the best location for his new stall. He needs somewhere relatively safe, but also accessible to potential customers – other survivors, scavengers, anyone looking to trade.
He remembers a sheltered area near the highway overpass, a place he'd passed by earlier. It might be a good starting point. He decides to head there, gathering his meager belongings and the Skitterer corpses – he might be able to salvage something else from them, now that he has the Appraisal skill.
The System, he realizes, is going to change everything. He just needs to figure out how to use it to his advantage. He starts walking, already planning his next move, the holographic System interface a constant, silent companion in his vision.