I sat at the table in the bustling taproom of the tavern, trying to ignore the chatter and commotion around me. The breakfast rush was in full swing, and the limited menu of oatmeal and coffee didn't seem to deter the villagers from gathering here to start their day.

As I focused my attention on the stack of .227 rounds before me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. Time was ticking away, and the effectiveness of the ammunition was slowly decaying. The unincorporated .227 caliber or 5.56 millimeter ammo was only 75% effective, and each passing day diminished its power by 5%.

With a determined gaze, I activated my mana infusion spell and directed my focus towards the cartridge. The mana energy coursed through it, transforming it into a mana-infused round. It was a strange phenomenon, one that I couldn't fully appreciate. Was this some kind of game exploit? All I knew was that by infusing the round with mana, it seemed to be incorporated into the System.

I tossed the mana-infused cartridge with the others, forming a growing pile of infused rounds. The plan was simple: infuse twenty rounds and list them on the auction house with a low starting bid of one silver and a buy-out price of one gold. If they sold, it would be a great success. If not, the cost of listing the auctions was minimal.

Hanna and Sarah joined me at the table, followed shortly by Wesley, who greeted his family before joining us. The familiar glow of the blue quest light caught my attention, reminding me that I had neglected to check for new quests. I tossed another infused cartridge onto the pile and accepted the quest, curious about what it had in store for us.

Wesley's question broke the silence, drawing our attention. "Did anyone else receive a quest?" His words hung in the air, and I realized that we had all become so accustomed to the presence of the quest notifications that we had almost overlooked them. I accepted the quest and felt a surge of anticipation for the adventure that lay ahead.

Recruit at least [1] farmer to your village

XP Quest – Recruit a farmer

Reward: 100XP

"Huh," I muttered, scratching my head. "Where are we supposed to find a farmer?"

Wesley chuckled. "Well, Cade, this isn't a big city like Dallas or New Orleans. We're surrounded by farms in this podunk town. We just need to find someone who's looking for the security our village can provide. Can't be that hard, right?"

I shot him a skeptical look. The Universal Development System seemed to take perverse pleasure in reminding people just how unforgiving it could be.

By the time Jayden joined us downstairs, the rest of us had finished our plain breakfast and accepted the quest. Jayden's face wrinkled in disgust as he looked at a bowl of oatmeal. "Let's swing by the System store. I saw some prepped food there," he suggested. "Anything's better than oatmeal."

I shrugged. “Maybe. I mean, I sold more than six hundred rounds of the old stuff the day we built the village. Sure, guns that are too advanced or that people haven’t figured out how to incorporate into the system are probably more of a danger to the shooter than whatever they’re aiming at now, I’m guessing there’s plenty of folks who either managed to incorporate modern weapons or figured out how to keep using them despite how much they’ve degraded. Unless they’ve unlocked the hexslinger class, they won’t have a way of infusing mana into their ammo.”

He furrowed his brow, “You may be onto something. I think the system is making it difficult to keep most modern weapons functioning.”

I nodded at his assessment. "Yeah, I wouldn't dare fire my dad's AR15 now. It's only functioning at seventy-five percent effectiveness. Listing the ammo on the auction house is more of an experiment. If it sells, that's great. If not, I'm not losing much—just a handful of copper coins to list the auctions."

A while later, I had listed the auctions for the ammo. I set the minimum bid at a silver coin and the buyout price at a gold coin. I didn't expect anyone to pay the buyout price, as gold was too valuable. But a couple of silver coins for a round didn't seem unreasonable.

We exited the gatehouse, Jayden munching on a sandwich purchased from the System store, as we made our way through the deserted section of the neighborhood that still stood. A team followed behind us, ready to operate the Excavator on more houses. There was a sense of urgency to complete the construction within our new village, and the sooner we excavated the remaining neighborhood, the sooner we could add more production buildings.

Turning right from the abandoned neighborhood, we walked along the asphalt-covered farm-to-market road. It was eerie to see not a single car or truck in sight, despite only five days having passed. In post-apocalyptic games I had played, abandoned vehicles lining the roads were always a common sight. But reality proved different. Since the first System message, the entire country had gone into lockdown, and most people were at home when the system took over, unless they had essential jobs like my dad, or Jayden and Hanna's mom.

As we approached the highway loop encircling the town, Jayden spoke up, his voice filled with concern. "What about checking the hospital? Mom was working there."

Hanna stopped in her tracks, staring at her brother. "It's been five days, Jay."

Jayden's expression turned grim. "So? Maybe they've been overwhelmed with people needing help."

Hanna shook her head, clearly hesitant. "It will add a lot of time to our quest."

Wesley hoisted his war hammer onto his shoulder, his tone decisive. "Then we should make a move. Does she work at the hospital on the south loop?"

Jayden nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that's the one."

Hanna seemed to have more to say, but instead, she took the lead, veering towards the southbound highway. "I'll take point," she announced.

Two hours had passed, and the sweltering heat of the morning sun had left my gambeson clinging to the drenched t-shirt underneath. The summer heat was relentless, baking us to a crisp. It was a wonder how Jayden managed to endure it in his leather armor. Judging by the weary expressions on everyone's faces, it was clear we were all feeling the same exhaustion.

Throughout our journey, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Whether it was from the distant houses set back from the highway or the occasional wooded areas, a sense of unseen eyes following our every move haunted me. Despite the eerie atmosphere, we had the highway all to ourselves. As we approached the hospital, the signs of the world's unraveling became more evident. Scorch marks, broken storefronts, and remnants of looting painted a bleak picture of what had transpired.

I double-checked my pistol and rifle, a routine action driven by a deep-rooted sense of caution. Even though the nearby buildings appeared abandoned, the feeling of being observed lingered. Hanna, too, seemed to share this unease. She signaled for us to leave the highway and follow a road that passed under an overpass, leading to one of the hospital's entrances. With each step, Hanna moved with measured caution, her gaze scanning the surroundings vigilantly.

It didn't take long before we encountered a line of cars and trucks, blocking the road just beyond the hospital entrance. For the first time in five days, I laid eyes upon another human who wasn't from our neighborhood. Standing in the back of a dilapidated pickup truck, he held a shotgun in his hands. Despite the disheveled appearance and the exposed dirty t-shirt beneath his unbuttoned shirt, it was clear from the navy blue police officer's shirt about his former profession.

Several other people were gathered on the other side of the makeshift barricade, their figures partially obscured by the line of cars. It was impossible to see how they were armed from this distance. As Hanna approached within thirty paces, the man holding the gun barked out, "That's as close as you get. Who are you?"

While the rest of our party joined Hanna, I maintained a cautious distance, allowing about sixty paces to separate me from the barricade. I observed the unfolding confrontation, ready to react if necessary.

Hanna's hand nonchalantly rested on her knife hilt as she responded, "Hanna Brown. My mom, Patrice Brown, works at the hospital. We've come to check on her."

The cop's expression wavered, though his weapon remained trained in our general direction. "The hospital is off-limits, ma'am."

Jayden, never one to back down, stepped forward defiantly. "Off-limits, my ass! Our mom is in there." He partially drew his longsword, a clear challenge in his voice. "You gonna try and stop us?"

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

In response, the cop raised his shotgun, shifting its aim from the general vicinity of our group to directly target Jayden. It was in that tense moment that I finally had a chance to take a closer look at the weapon in his hands.

[Remington 870] is 75% effective.

The cop's voice strained with frustration. "Leave the toothpick in the scabbard, kid. If it were just me, I wouldn’t give a damn if you go into the hospital. But I've got my orders. Nobody goes into that hellhole."

Wesley stepped forward, joining the siblings. "Goblins?" he inquired, his voice filled with concern.

The cop lowered his shotgun slightly. "Yeah. That's what the kids call those little green bastards. If that was the only threat, maybe we could have held onto the place. But there's more than just them that took over."

A pained expression crossed Jayden's face, and he attempted to take a step forward, only to be halted by Hanna's firm grip on his shoulder. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Did anyone manage to escape? What about Patrice Brown?"

The cop's shotgun dropped to his side, his tone somber. "Some people made it out, but I haven't heard of any Patrice Brown. It's not like there are many of us left."

A voice from behind the cop interrupted, "Would you shut your pie hole, Dwayne."

A moment later, another man hoisted himself onto the bed of the pickup truck. Unlike Dwayne, his shirt was neatly tucked in. A revolver rested on one hip, while a machete hung from the other. His eyes scrutinized our group, the silence growing uncomfortably long. "I'm Chuck Kimball, Mayor of Fairview Village. And who might I have the pleasure of meeting?"

Wesley waved a hand towards the siblings. "You've already met Hanna and Jay. I'm Wesley, and the girl behind me is Sarah. And that’s Cade, watching our backs."

The mayor's gaze swept over us, his expression hardened. "I suppose you folks have figured out quite a bit about this damn System."

Wesley ran his hand along the back of his neck, his eyes fixed on the mayor. "As much as anyone, I reckon. And you?"

"Yeah, gotta say I'm not a big fan of these System houses. No air conditioning," the mayor replied, a hint of frustration lacing his words. "No electricity either."

Wesley nodded in agreement. "True, but we're doing what we can to survive."

The mayor's gaze lingered on us, the weight of his scrutiny almost tangible. The silence stretched on, causing an uneasy tension to settle over the group. Finally, he let out a weary sigh, breaking the silence, "If you've got a mind to, y'all are welcome to come into the village. I reckon we could benefit from comparing notes."

The distance from the barricade of cars to the village was roughly a thousand paces. As we made our way through the battered buildings that lined the street, the extent of the damage became evident. Burned-out shells and senseless markings scarred the structures. Monsters of one sort or another had left a trail of looted and trashed houses at the other end of the neighborhood. But it was the mysterious markings that left an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

At the heart of the systemized village stood a sizable stone and wooden building, dwarfing our humble tavern and inn. A crescent of simple wooden cabins formed a protective arc in front of the structure. Though the village lacked walls like ours, the sturdy central construction exuded a sense of defensibility.

The mayor puffed out his chest with pride. "That main building used to be a retirement community before the System came along. Follow me inside, we've set up the store to the side of the main hall."

A pungent smell assaulted my senses as we stepped into the building. The mingling scents of soot and medicinal odors permeated the air. To the left of the main hall, a large room housed several elderly individuals, their eyes fixed on the outside world through narrow windows that bathed the room in a soft glow of natural light.

To the right of the hall, we entered another room. Along the interior wall, the familiar kiosks of the System store were neatly arranged. The room was mostly empty, save for a lone man who diligently placed rusty swords and battered shields on a scale.

The man next to the kiosk regarded us with caution, but upon spotting the mayor, he offered a curt nod. "Good run last night," he acknowledged. "No casualties, and Marty hit level three."

The words about the successful run and the mention of Marty triggered a realization within me. They were farming the hospital, treating it like a dungeon. The thought blurted out of me before I could stop myself. "You're farming the hospital? Like a dungeon?"

The mayor exchanged a glance with the man at the kiosk, his expression pained. "That's one way to put it," he admitted. "Another way is that if we didn't send our teams in there, the spawns would overrun this place, and we'd all be dead. Nobody's stopping your group from giving it a shot, though."

Jayden stepped forward, his tone defiant. "Bullshit. That cop told us we couldn't go in."

The mayor raised his hands, a plea in his eyes. "Dwayne was just doing his job. We can't afford to have more blood on our hands. And truth be told, the hospital has claimed the lives of more than one person who dared to raid it. But you five seem capable. If you want to take a stab at it, I won't stand in your way. Thinning out the monsters will benefit us all."

Taking a seat at an empty table, the mayor shifted the conversation. "But enough of that. You all seem to have adapted well to this new world the System has thrust upon us. How have you managed without a village?"

My gaze darted to Wesley, seeking guidance on how much to reveal. Though I trusted the former youth pastor's judgment, I made a silent promise to myself to keep quiet and let him handle the conversation. Wesley chose the chair opposite the mayor and settled into it. "We haven't managed alone. We are just one team from our village. We came this way in search of one of our neighbors, Patrice Brown. She's a nurse at the hospital."

The mayor clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That was a tragic situation. When the System first emerged, goblins appeared in the hospital, indiscriminately killing patients and staff. Some people may have escaped, but no one by that name has made her way here."

The man at the kiosk continued sorting through sacks of flour and other dry goods that appeared in the purchases slot. Meanwhile, the mayor wore a smile of apology. "Many of our residents are too old to contribute much physically. We sell the common gear we collect from our raids to the system store and use the earnings to buy food. It may not be the most efficient system, but it's better than attempting to establish a farm so close to the hospital."

My earlier vow to keep quiet had once again slipped from my mind. I couldn't help but blurt out, "What about building a wall? It would create a barrier and allow your people to plant a garden or farm."

The mayor leaned back, causing the chair legs to creak. "If only it were that simple. We have exhausted all our available resources when we constructed this building and the cabins. We have no more system building materials.”

Curiosity got the better of me. "You don't have a System Resource Excavator?"

The mayor looked puzzled. "A what?"

Realizing I was divulging information without restraint, I shot an apologetic glance at Wesley. He simply grinned and motioned for me to continue. "A System Resource Excavator is a device that converts existing buildings into System resources. It would enable you to expand your village with more houses or even construct walls."

Licking his lips, the mayor rose from his seat and approached a kiosk. After a brief moment, he returned with a dejected expression. “Holy shit, kid. Five gold? You actually purchased one?"

With the exception of Jayden, I had kept my dealings on the auction house mostly to myself. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Sold some items on the auction house."

The mayor settled back into his chair, sinking into it. "It will take us a few days to gather that kind of money. But there's no denying that a System Excavator would be incredibly handy."

Feeling a surge of confidence, I continued from where I left off, "I noticed your men are still carrying rifles. The System has more reliable weapons."

The mayor's gaze shifted to my rifle. After a prolonged pause, he spoke, "How did you manage to get the System to incorporate it? We tried to use our weapon tokens on our guns, but aside from a couple of shotguns and revolvers, the weapons couldn't be incorporated, too advanced, the system said."

A grin crept onto my face. "The Sharps rifle is over a hundred and fifty years old. I suspect the revolvers are older models as well. How have your rifles been holding up?"

He shook his head, his expression filled with concern. "They're locking up sometimes. We even lost one of our fighters when his rifle jammed during combat."

To everyone's surprise, Sarah, who had been quiet throughout the conversation, conjured a flickering flame in her palm. "Or a little system magic, too."

The mayor slid his chair back slightly, visibly intrigued. "Ah, yes. One of our people mentioned being offered a mage class, but I hadn't seen it until now."

The flame flickered out, and Sarah nodded in my direction. "I shouldn't say this, but Caden is right. Focus on what the system gives you or what you can wrestle away from it."

I felt a slight flush from Sarah's backhanded compliment. Luckily, Wesley chimed in and diverted the conversation toward the various classes our village had unlocked. As we compared notes with the mayor, we discovered that one of his men had unlocked the Sheriff class, while a couple of individuals who worked at the Retirement Community had unlocked the Healer class.

Before long, hunger gnawed at my stomach, and I found myself drawn to the nearby kiosk, scanning the store for something to eat. As I scrolled through the available options, I bypassed bulk items like flour and rice and landed on a screen displaying a range of dishes, from chicken pot pie to wiener schnitzel. There was truly something for everyone, dishes I’d never heard of. For the price of a silver piece, I settled on three soft tacos.

With my system screen filling my vision, I watched as one silver and five copper coins were deducted from my balance. Startled by the unexpected deduction, I exclaimed, "What happened? I just bought something for a silver, but the system deducted an additional five copper!"

The mayor chuckled, offering an explanation. "Taxes, boy. I read all the system prompts after becoming mayor. Each village has the ability to charge a tax on all transactions. With the amount of activity on the store and auction house now, thanks to the items we loot and purchase, the tax provides us with a bit more to spend on food."

We all purchased our lunches as the conversation continued. By the time we finished, the mayor scraped his chair legs as he stood up. "If you folks want to try your hand at the hospital, you're more than welcome to give it a go. Just be aware that we won't be able to rescue you if things get too dangerous."

Wesley rose and extended his hand. "We still have a bit of a hike ahead before we call it a day. Perhaps the next time we come this way.”

As we made our way back to the barricade, a mixture of comfort and unease settled within me. Discovering another village was reassuring, but it also underscored the precariousness of their situation. The mayor's village was teetering on the brink. One significant push from the monsters in the hospital, and their defenses would be overwhelmed. Another flickering light of humanity would be snuffed out.

Silence enveloped us as we reached the highway loop. It was anyone's guess whether Jayden and Hanna's mother was still alive, and we were no closer to finding a farmer.