System Fall

 As I made my way through the chaotic world of System Fall, I couldn't help but grimace, thinking about the coming days. My stomach growled thinking about the coming days, I wasn’t looking forward to being hungry like that again, and I found myself looking forward to when this hard part was over. When safe zones under the guidance of Guilds would emerge.

In the meantime, I knew I needed to find a solution for preserving food. Since anything that was already prepared would disappear come nighttime once somebody grabbed it.

 had an idea that a special food could be immune to [The Dark of the Night]'s effects. I wondered if those who shared their food with others, like James and Aria, or the kindhearted members of local churches, had unlocked some secret to sustenance. Like an achievement related ability like the ones I’d gained in the Hidden Dungeon.

I considered the possibility that the answer lay in selfishness and greed, but it seemed that there was no shortage of either in this world. The notification had said I needed a System Fall approved container. In a shortage of ability, that was the next best thing to shoot for.

I knew just the place to go.

"The Central Zoo," I muttered to myself, struck by the idea. That was a place where with a little creativity, I’d find myself a meal.

"Alright, listen up, ladies," I announced, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over our trio. "We're headed to the Central Zoo."

"The Central Zoo?" May echoed, a hint of confusion marring her features. "But why?"

With a knowing grin, I replied, "With some luck, we'll find plenty of things to kill and eat. It'll be a feast if we play our cards right."

"But... won't there be monsters too?" Willow responded her voice filled with apprehension.

"Probably," I confirmed, my tone unflinchingly casual, "But they're just dinner with a bit of attitude."

My attempt to make light of the situation seemed to have worked, as Willow let out a nervous chuckle. May, on the other hand, wore an expression of anticipation.

"Have either of you ever had lamb before?" I then asked, deliberately injecting a note of enthusiasm into my voice. The girls exchanged a glance before shaking their heads. “Yeah, didn’t think so. Neither have I.”

Somebody once said that "Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money."

I was reminded of that quote as I considered the state of our world. What was money, if not a universally agreed-upon piece of paper that held value? At some point, it was backed by gold or maybe oil, but now? Now it meant nothing.

I didn't even know if it was a cultural proverb or a quote from some famous person. The origins were unclear, but it accurately described the world around me, where transportation had stalled, shops and restaurants had closed, and government organizations had vanished.

The only real currency was what you could achieve with your own hands. Your own force of will.

Sadly, that meant there was no internet, either.

Amid the survival and chaos that would unfold in the future, people tended to forget how the [Admin] controlled the world. They accepted it as a fact of life and carried on. But right now, while things were still unfolding slowly, didn't I have a chance to investigate?

I had taken for granted the internet didn’t work, but I never had the chance to try for myself.

Glancing at the two girls panting behind me, May and Willow, I shelved the idea for later, reminding myself of our original goal.

The Central Zoo.

Before the three of us reached our intended destination, or rather before I reached my destination since I considered the other two to be tag-alongs. I was still debating the reason for looking out for them.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” I muttered to myself. I was still alive because somebody had once helped me. If I could return the favor and pass it forward, I needed to.

As we kept going, we eventually stumbled upon the Maple Store. It was a glistening box of glass, which reminded me of a very key problem.

"I hope this sword can keep up when the shit hits the fan," I mumbled, eyeing the store largely made of glass, which had a surprising number of people milling about inside of it. Something seemed off about them all holding those high-end phones and tablets that were useless without reception. That didn't stop people from charging their existing devices and taking what they could for free.

"It would be better to avoid them," May spoke up. "I doubt they're all gathered in there because everyone decided to just play nice."

"I think so, too. I don't feel like getting involved with them either. I mean, a Maple store of all places. These people are either way too brand conscious, or they just wanted to get their hands on some overpriced phones," Willow grumbled. “Can you believe that? And with things how they are, these people are probably all wanted to upgrade their phones.”

 

May, the proud owner of a Maple device, couldn't help but cast a wistful glance towards the store. I found it hard to remember what it felt like to own a phone. For me, the thought of ever owning a phone was even more alien. I remembered my university peers clutching onto their devices, using them to check time or merely as a comforting relic of the world that once was. To me, they were nothing but a nuisance.

"They're space-consuming, distracting, and redundant. If people delved deep into the Menus, they'd discover it has a calculator and can pretty much replace a smartphone," I grumbled under my breath, thinking about how this overlooked feature would later prove invaluable to the merchants and anyone seeking to bring order to the post-fall world.

 

We passed the busy store, leaving the clamor behind us as we neared our destination: The Central Zoo.

"So, are we actually going to hunt here?" Willow asked, eyeing the zoo's entrance warily. Any semblance of order - ticketing, queues - had long since disappeared.

"We have to. Or we'd be the hunted instead," I replied, my words punctuated by a distant roar and a subtle vibration under our feet. "Imagine we're back in the Jurassic era. Remember those oversized salamanders and snakes?"

Both girls nodded, their faces serious.

"That serpent was more massive than any python. Could it have been an anaconda?" May ventured a guess.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not quite. Its head shape was more akin to a rattlesnake."

Their quizzical looks made me realize they were waiting for an explanation. "It’s not just that they’re larger now. But if we're seeing rattlesnake-like creatures, we can anticipate animals growing five to ten times their original size, possibly with added capabilities. Just look around," I elaborated.

Under the surreal glow of the moon, the zoo looked more like an overgrown wilderness than a place of human creation. Tall grasses and tangled trees cast ominous shadows, giving the impression of years of abandonment rather than just a few days.

I retrieved my flashlight, flicking it on. Its dim light was hardly reassuring. Willow turned to me, a question in her eyes. "Why didn't you use that in the dungeons earlier?"

The flashlight flickered and died, my attempts to revive it proving futile. Either the dungeon pond water had ruined it, or the [Admin] had interfered once again. The latter thought sent a chill down my spine - was I starting to sound like a System Fall cultist, blaming every inconvenience on an omnipotent force?

With a shrug, I decided to put it aside for the moment. We ventured further into the zoo and managed to corner a Frenzied Penguin. It was the size of a small child and far from calm, alternating between attacking and fleeing in panic. While May and Willow teamed up to catch a couple of rabbits, I took on the challenge of the penguin, landing a solid strike through its flesh.

 

[System Fall Notification]

 

Title: Achievement Unlocked - Pure Points

 

Congratulations Nick Vandal! For facing a Frenzied Penguin you have earned a Pure Point.

 

[Pure Points Gained: 1]

 

A Pure Point is a a silver token, which you can redeem for a full increment in any one of your stats. Please navigate to the System menu to apply your newly acquired Pure Point.

 

Remember, survival in the world of System Fall is not just about strength, but also about adaptability. Make your choices wisely.

 

I grinned, tucking the sword away as I joined the girls. We would have food tonight. But more importantly, we had taken our first step towards self-reliance in this new, chaotic world.

"Come on," I said, glancing at the fallen Frenzied Penguin. "Have either of you ever skinned an animal before?"

Both May and Willow shook their heads, their faces pale but determined.

"Well," I shrugged, "there's a first time for everything."

It was a stroke of good luck. They were rare but also an essential part of climbing up the ranks. Whereas before, one's actions increased their base stats, these drops gave the user the power to allot points to the stat they required out of their free will.

Basically, the choice for me was whether to power either my Strength or my Agility, or both. These Pure Points were wildcards which could raise the stats you wanted to raise. And common sense dictated that you power up something which appeared to be crucial but was lagging far behind other stats which you did know how to power up:  Mana.

I poured all these points into my Mana stat. The boost they gave was enough for me to be able to perceive my surroundings more. Where before I could only feel that electric thrum in living things, I could now also sense a kind of energy, or maybe life, in the blades of grass under my feet.

Taking out my Azure Gleam knife, I started butchering the mutated penguin quickly.

"Are you going to eat it just like that?" May placed a hand on her hip. They had also gathered some wood to make a fire, so there wasn't any need to eat raw meat.

'Yes, and I'm not going to share.' I thought it, then recognized that saying something like that might not be a good idea. Instead, I cut off a tiny strip of its raw, dark red meat and, taking a tentative sniff, I put a bite in my mouth. It was tough and slimy but very warm as I chewed on it, trying not to throw it back out.

"Yes," I said when I swallowed, effectively grossing the girls out. Sushi was raw and socially acceptable, but even that was too much for some people. Of course, one could ask the chef to sear it a bit at the cost of being viewed as a Philistine.

But the purpose of eating it raw was to be the first one to do such an act. Penguins weren't poisonous, though very rich in vitamins, and that could be lethal. A polar bear's liver, for example, was so rich in vitamin A that you just needed to eat a speck of it to kill yourself.

As a former swordsman, I, Nick Vandal, had developed a keen sense of practicality. When it came to preparing food, I relied on either boiling things or sniffing them to determine if they were edible. It wasn't conventional, but it often appealed to the body's nutritional needs.

"Nick, you're always so practical. I was thinking rabbits were too cute to eat," May commented.

We set up camp near the entrance, where we were less likely to be ambushed by animals. Instead of staying inside a building that could corner us or limit our mobility, we chose to sit outside. As I confidently butchered my prey, May and Willow exchanged glances.

"Have you ever hunted before?" May inquired.

I had spent years hunting, so my response was brief: "Yes." My skill in cutting and dividing pieces of meat was evident. I took out some salt and spices I had acquired from the convenience store and seasoned the meat. Though I noticed th"Trade you some rabbit for seasonings?" Willow suggested.

"Sure."

We built a fire in the center of our camp and skewered cuts of meat on sticks around its edge. We kept our weapons nearby, alert and ready. The fire cast an orange glow on everything around us. I glanced at the hazy sky above, waiting for the Dark of the Night to pass.

The Dark of the Night lasted only a few minutes, plunging the twilight into complete darkness by hiding the moon and stars. Once it was over, everything returned to normal. With industries and mass production in disarray, the sky had gradually cleared up. The air quality had improved significantly, and the wind carried subtle flavors depending on the region.

System Fall had turned out to be a victory for Mother Nature.

I longed for the beauty of the night sky, now free from pollution and with decreased power consumption. The result was a stunning panorama of millions of tiny lights above us—a sight that no picture or film could ever do justice.

Having prepared the meal, I tore into my penguin with a ravenous appetite. I sampled all its different parts, even taking a small bite of its skin. 'Will this be enough to get something?' I pondered.

"I wonder if I should hunt more." Catching and preparing food was a time-consuming task, taking hours each day. However, it was essential to ensure our survival in this unpredictable world.

I needed that time to get ahead. I would have liked an item that allowed me to stockpile food and get on with my life after a day or two of hunting, but that wasn't how things worked anymore.

What made the rich, Rich with a capital "R," was the fact that they didn't have to work directly for their own food. They could hire someone, or pay for it, or hoard things. Sure, someone would have to work a lot in one generation, but the ones after could build upon it.

I once heard a story that the original kings were just robbers and thieves who hoarded riches and then made rules and laws in order to protect that stolen wealth. I wasn't sure if it was true, though; the person who had told it to me was kind of a zealot, someone who would shout "All property is theft!" as they charged into a fight.

"Why do you want to hunt more?" Willow asked. "The Dark of the Night will wipe out whatever food you prepare anyway. Even the raw meat won't be safe."

"I wonder if this Dark also takes away dead bodies. It's kind of like a cleaning system, you know?" May pondered, "Like, if this world was a software program, then all those corpses are just extra data. And some people in desperation might even try to eat them."

I blinked. "We'll have to wait and see."

Of course, the Dark did not wipe out the corpses—what fun would that be? Having someone turn into a cannibal was far more entertaining for the [Admin]. Were people already forgetting that they were captive to an audience?

I vowed to never forget.

"What do we have here?" A familiar voice cut across the grass. An old bunch was entering the Central Zoo, with a familiar, albeit bruised, face in tow.

"Alvin..." Willow whispered under her breathe. The girls had  curious stares, but I didn't waver in my no-free-lunch policy.

Alvin was cocooned tightly, his arms squashed against his sides, trapped within a sticky spider thread. The culprit behind this was undoubtedly the [Spider Web] skill. Now the million-dollar question was – what type was it? The webbing could be either sticky or strong, but not both simultaneously. Their attributes inversely related, you could discern the dominant trait by the thread's color. Blue indicated strength comparable to stainless steel, its potency depending on the user's skill level, while yellow suggested a stickiness akin to honey.

"Let him go!" Willow demanded, her voice ringing through the tension-filled air.

"Let him go?" Their self-appointed leader sneered, taking a step forward. His wavy hair was neatly parted down the middle and while he wasn't exactly a head-turner, he was far from repulsive. "We're not holding him hostage, right Alvin?"

He towered above most of us, his tall, lanky figure reminiscent of a basketball player. Clad in a blue button-up, jeans, and a sleeveless black sweater, I pegged him as a privileged private school kid.

Barely able to draw breath due to the constrictive web, Alvin wheezed, "If I'm not a prisoner, then what am I, your new pet?"

Much as I wanted to stay out of this, I had a feeling that wouldn't be an option. They had crossed a line again.

Just as I scanned the surrounding faces, a voice piped up from the crowd. "You've got enough food there to feed a small army. Sharing is caring, no?"

They pointed at the remnants of my Frenzied Penguin and a few rabbit scraps. Indeed, it was enough for several servings. The Frenzied Penguin alone was equivalent to a hefty goat. However, I knew certain parts could cause severe sickness if ingested in large quantities.

Even armed with that knowledge, I wasn't inclined towards charity, nor did I feel the need to disclose the potential risks. No one was laying a finger on my food. My goal was to claim some item or trait related to sustenance and leverage the system's positive feedback loop to my advantage.

"Sorry to disappoint," I shot back, locking eyes with their so-called leader, "but I don't subscribe to the sharing is caring mantra. All it does is place an unnecessary load on those who actually work while the rest leech off their effort. Since you lot are so big on selflessness, why doesn't Spiderman Jr. over there start rescuing folks?"

"Knew he was an arrogant prick," Mr. Military grumbled to his stylish companion. Apparently, they'd been tracking me, roping poor Alvin into their scheme in the process. “He got lucky back in the store.”

"How about we cooperate on the next hunt? Sound fair?" the leader suggested.

A cynical chuckle bubbled up inside me. Trust them to watch my back? My solo plan was proving trickier than anticipated. "No, thanks," I retorted.

"Hmph, typical. If you won't share, we'll take it by force. Welcome to the jungle," Mr. Military announced, stepping forward menacingly. But the gleam of blue and silver stopped him in his tracks.

I threw a knife and it embedded itself in the ground midway between us. My gaze turned icy, my voice laced with cold resolve and deadly calm.

"See that line there? The one my knife just drew in the sand? Think of it as your lifeline. Cross it, and I’ll kill you.”