Chapter 23: Life skills system activated
Once all the trees were cut, Caishen started gathering the medium sized rocks available around the area – with access to inventory, it wasn’t a difficult task. He started digging using the shovel, inserting logs, surrounding it with rocks and refilling it up with shoveled mud to create a solid and stable fence. The length of the logs was not uniform, but they were tall enough to create a solid wall between Caishen and any monsters that might attack. For now, he had created a densely packed solid fence – it would require higher number of logs but would also provide maximum safety. There was no way to strengthen it further, so this will have to do. With no practical experience he was just going with his gut and survival instinct.
Even with inventory playing a massive role in heavy lifting, digging, and securing the logs was hard work and the area I had chosen wasn’t small, but the space was required to create a distance between him and any approaching danger allowing him the opportunity to run away if the fight was beyond his capability.
Surprise surprise, once he finished laying down the logs on one side, his Carpenter skill leveled up. Having learnt from his past mistakes, he made sure that all his corresponding skills were activated before he started the action.
Life Skill Carpenter – basic + (increase in proficiency by 8%, increase in sturdiness by 8%)
With the skill level up, Caishen’s work became faster, the fence became sturdier and by the time he looked up, only the space left for the gate was open. He had built his first fence. That was when the real magic happened, and he heard a voice.
Life skills system activated
System integration 5%
System integration 20%
System integration 50%
System integration 75%
System integration 100% complete
[Host, Life skills system has been activated]
This was the first voice I had heard after meeting with Gaia and I wanted to jump with unprecedented joy. I decided to take a page from the novels I had read and push my luck.
“System can you help me strengthen the fence?”
[Host, you need to earn system points or system currency for strengthening the fence. Your current balance is zero points. You have a new host gift bag. Would you like to open it?]
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New host gift bag? So cool! I said ‘yes’ immediately – who doesn’t love a freebie and I was just so happy to be talking to someone, even if it was a system.
[New host gift bag – 2 new skill cards, 5 skill points 100 system points, 5 silver coins]
I took out the new skill card and looked at it, when I heard the system say.
[Host use your thumb like on a biometric machine while touching the skill card to activate it. It will give you the skills to choose from]
I followed systems instructions and immediately saw a long list of skills that I hadn’t even thought about till now. I needed to build a house, as shack was too flimsy, so I decided to select the skill ‘builder’. The CGM system screen could be called out and I could use thoughts or virtual keyboard to type messages. The Life skill system that I had just gained was wholly inside my head. I could make use of it, but I couldn’t bring it out as a screen.
Life Skill Builder – basic (increase in design proficiency by 5%, increase in sturdiness by 5%)
As soon as I activated my ‘Builder’ skill, I could see the areas where my fence was weak and how I could strengthen it.
I wanted to select the second skill but getting the fence and house secured was priority and day was passing. So, I asked the system how to use the skill points. After confirming that they are used to level up the skill, I immediately leveled up the Builder skill to intermediate.
Life Skill Builder – Intermediate (increase in design proficiency by 12%, increase in sturdiness by 12%)
Before getting on with my tasks, I asked the system about how to earn the system points and what is system currency.
[Host there will be tasks assigned to you, completion of which will result in rewards including system points and system currency. You also have 1945 copper coins in your inventory – do you want to integrate them with the system? 100 copper coins are 1 silver coin]
I wasn’t sure if the copper coins would be required by the CGM system at some point, so for now I decided to convert 1000 copper coins.
[system points – 0; system currency – 15 silver coins]
[Daily task – a) run 5 kms b) 50 squats c) 50 push-ups; completion reward – 1 new skill card, 100 system points and 1 silver]
When I saw the task, I started laughing. I hadn’t laughed in a while so I couldn’t stop. My cheat was finally here and for some reason I knew this was a hidden cheat arranged by Gaia. I loved the life skills system much more than the event system as of this moment. My head was full of information from 2 systems but with one actively undermining me and one supporting me, I just had to make use of both to survive.
Based on my builder skill, I understood how to make a fence gate, but it would be more durable with nails. The log fence was tall, and foundation was strong, but the top area was weak with nothing holding it together.
I needed a gate before I could start on the house. I used the ropes to tie a few logs together and place it at the opening for now. Opening and closing would work using inventory, but it wasn’t stable or secure enough.
I asked the life skills system if there was any help available, and the response was a bit out of my expectations!
[Host, why don’t you finish the daily task. With system points there might be things available to help you]
It was midafternoon and my log fence was as secure as I could make it - I needed a break. Running isn’t essentially a break and 5 kms is a long distance, but with no better option, I decided to go for it and run. I was subsisting on about half a dozen apples since morning and after this exercise session, I will probably need a proper meal before I could get on with anything else. Oh well! What else is new. At least I haven’t been attacked yet.