The summer sun blazed in the sky, and even though it was already five in the afternoon, the scorching heat had cleared the campus paths of nearly all students. The ceiling fans creaked as they swayed back and forth. Aldric lay slumped over his desk, staring at the words written in large chalk letters on the blackboard: "29 Days Until College Entrance Exam."
"What a boring world," Aldric muttered. "Give me something—anything—different!" He could already envision the monotony of the coming month: nothing but studying, more studying, and waiting for the exam that would determine his fate. It was supposed to be a pivotal moment in his life, yet he felt nothing but tedium.
Aldric closed his eyes, hoping to rest for a moment. But in the next instant, something impossible made his eyes snap open. The scorching summer sun vanished, replaced by heavy snow falling from the sky. Thick snowflakes, like goose feathers, landed on his body. The sudden cold made him shiver as the transformed landscape registered in his mind.
As far as the eye could see, the world was blanketed in silver and white. Snow fell endlessly in the deathly silence, and the only structure in sight was a dilapidated temple in the distance. Suddenly, a voice echoed in Aldric's mind as a transparent panel appeared before his eyes:
[You have joined the game. Your temporary ID is Z0001]
[Current dungeon: The Puppet Guardian's Trial]
[Dungeon type: Solo; Test]
[Description: This world harbors many hidden dangers, and you are a gifted individual who can see them. In a snowy night's temple, you encounter an old man whose life is being threatened by unknown forces...]
[Objective: Keep the old man alive until dawn (6 AM)]
[Hint: What could be more important than a fire on a snowy night?]
[Completion reward: Basic ability enhancement, 200 game points!]
[Have a pleasant game!]
Your personal attributes:
[Temporary ID: Z0001]
[Physical Assessment: 1.23; Life Energy Generation: 0.1 (Human average: 1/0.01)]
[Soul Assessment: 2.77; Spirit Energy Generation: 0.27 (Human average: 1/0.01)]
[Innate Ability: Ultimate Control - Your inhuman soul grants you superhuman control over your body!]
[Basic Abilities: None]
[Skills: None]
[Evaluation: A human BUG!]
"No strength or agility stats like typical games? Instead, it's physical and soul assessments?"
After Aldric finished reading, the panel shrank into a small window that floated in his peripheral vision, not obstructing his view. He rubbed his arms, which had already turned red from the cold. Just moments ago, he had been in the middle of summer, wearing only his short-sleeved school uniform. It had been about five hours since lunch, and his situation was looking increasingly dire.
Taking a deep breath, Aldric utilized his superhuman control to constrict his pores, preserving body heat while slowing his heartbeat to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. He consciously shut down all nonessential bodily functions except those required for movement and cognitive processes.
About a year ago, Aldric had nearly died in an accident. After that incident, he noticed strange changes in himself—his emotions became muted, and his entire worldview shifted. The formerly quiet and timid high school student had transformed into this anomaly among humans—this "BUG."
Aldric looked up at the sky. While it had been summer just moments ago, with bright daylight at 5 PM, this winter landscape was already growing dark. He estimated that complete darkness would fall within half an hour.
As he pushed open the temple door, the clash of warm and cold air stole another bit of his body heat. Without pausing to survey the interior, Aldric quickly shut the door behind him. Feeling the temperature rise slightly, he let out a sigh of relief. He couldn't maintain his extreme bodily control for too long without risking permanent damage.
Only then did he take in his surroundings. A fire burned on the temple floor, but it wasn't the most striking sight. A young woman lay in an old man's arms, beautiful as a celestial maiden with otherworldly features. However, upon closer inspection, Aldric noticed cracks at her joints, and her expression never changed—this breathtakingly beautiful woman was actually a puppet or automaton.
After studying the puppet maiden for a moment, Aldric turned his attention to the old man holding her. The elder wore tattered clothes covered in patches, appearing worn and weary. The notification window in Aldric's peripheral vision displayed: [Mission Target Found.]
"So the task is to keep this old man alive until morning?" With this thought, Aldric clasped his hands respectfully and said, "Elder, I was passing by when this snowstorm hit. I'm not dressed for this weather, and night is falling. Might I take shelter here until morning?"
The old man started at Aldric's words, then hastily rose, replying, "This is no one's property—I myself am merely staying here for a time. Young master, please make yourself at home without concern for me."
"Thank you for your kindness, elder." A smile crossed Aldric's face as he approached the fire. Finding a piece of wood, he wiped it clean before sitting down. As he felt the fire's warmth, he relaxed his bodily control slightly and began to examine the temple more carefully.
On the altar stood a headless deity statue, which created an eerie atmosphere in the current setting. The offering table that had once stood before the altar had been dismantled—it was the very piece of wood Aldric sat upon. Nearly all wooden fixtures that could be removed had been gathered in a pile to use as firewood, though the supply appeared to be running low.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Young master, I have some spare clothing here. If you don't mind, please take them to ward off the cold." The old man carefully opened the chest he was using as a seat and withdrew a set of bright red theatrical robes decorated with vibrant patterns and embroidery. They appeared to be women's clothing, and glancing at the puppet maiden in his arms, Aldric surmised they must be her costume changes.
Aldric accepted the robes with thanks, not minding their nature. He quickly put them on, and though they were a bit tight, they provided much-needed warmth. His attention then turned to the dwindling pile of firewood as a new notification appeared in his peripheral vision...
[Phase Quest Received: Find Combustible Materials]
[Quest Description: A fire in the snowy night not only provides warmth but also wards off dangers lurking in the darkness. The current firewood supply is running low—if new fuel isn't found, the flames will die out by midnight, and dangers will follow.]
[Quest Requirements: Find sufficient combustible materials. The more you find, the safer you'll be...]
[Quest Hint: Search while there's still light, but beware of... certain things]
[Quest Reward: You're fighting for your own survival—do you really need additional motivation?]
Aldric's mouth twitched indifferently. If he'd been wearing proper winter clothing, venturing outside wouldn't have been a major issue. But with only his short-sleeved uniform under theatrical robes, even his bug-like body control abilities wouldn't let him last long in this frozen wasteland.
Still, watching the dwindling wood pile, he stood up and smiled at the old man. "We're running low on firewood. The fire will die out tonight—I'll go gather some more!"
"Young master? Your clothing is so thin..." The old man's voice carried confusion. After hesitating, he continued, "It's almost dark. It would be unwise to go out now. Let the fire die if it must—we can make do tonight and search for wood tomorrow."
"I'm young and strong, so I'll manage. But elder, you're different. In this bitter cold, if the fire dies..." Aldric looked at the old man's patched clothing. While not exactly thin, it wasn't thick enough either. Without the fire, Aldric might well find a human icicle come morning.
"I'll return before full dark. Please don't worry—consider this repayment for lending me these robes." Before the old man could respond, Aldric pushed open the temple door. Icy wind mixed with heavy snow hit his body.
Aldric's spirit surged as he surveyed the snow-covered landscape again. He fixed his gaze on a small ridge behind the temple, exhaled a white puff of breath, and set out. Walking through the deep snow, he could feel the bone-piercing cold, but fear wasn't an option—nor did he feel any.
Entering the ridge area, he found dead trees and withered bushes everywhere. Getting wood wouldn't be too difficult, but the quest hint about danger worried him. The threat likely wasn't just environmental—there might be dangerous creatures or... monsters.
He searched through the snow for fallen branches. These weren't dry kindling—they'd need to be dried by the fire before use. Aldric removed his short-sleeved uniform and tore it into strips, laying them flat on the ground to bundle the collected branches. Darkness was falling rapidly; he didn't have much time.
After adding a few more branches, Aldric decided time was running short. He quickly tied up the bundle and heaved it onto his back. The frozen wood dug uncomfortably into his skin, but there was no time to complain. He set off immediately, constantly scanning his surroundings.
Darkness had nearly fallen, and visibility in the snowy night was poor. The warned danger hadn't shown itself yet, but that only made him more cautious. This "game" had transported him from blazing summer to frozen winter—its warnings couldn't be taken lightly.
Trudging through the snow, the wood on his back collected snow, adding to his burden. Fortunately, Aldric's physical condition was good—the game's assessment had confirmed as much. While the normal human average was 1/0.01, his stats were 1.23/0.1. Though he didn't understand what the 0.1 represented, it proved he wasn't dragging down the human average.
With his extraordinary body control, Aldric could accelerate his stomach's nutrient absorption, enhance his liver's detoxification, expel harmful substances, and even trigger muscle micro-vibrations for efficient exercise. However, he'd only had these abilities for a year, and hadn't particularly focused on training. For Aldric, being healthy was enough—deliberate exercise seemed pointless, though his previous life had been quite dull anyway.
Suddenly, Aldric stopped. His ears twitched, and he forced his muscles into action. Explosive power surged through him as he bounded across the snow, leaving deep footprints. The human body has various protective limitations—both bones and muscles have physical thresholds. Theoretically, instantaneous full muscle fiber activation could generate 25 tons of force, though that's just theory. Normally, humans only utilize about 20% of their muscle potential, as higher intensity risks injury like muscle strains or fractures.
Behind him appeared a running monster, roughly humanoid in shape. It was hairless, with visible dark blood vessels, and seemed to lack lips, exposing large teeth still bearing traces of flesh and blood. Its pale body was covered in tattered hemp clothing.
The creature moved with incredible speed, running on all fours with sharp claws that left long marks in the snow. But Aldric, having released some of his muscular limitations, wasn't slow either. Though not as fast as the monster, he wasn't in immediate danger.
The firelit temple appeared in the distance. Hearing the monster drawing closer, Aldric's mind raced while his feet kept moving. Reaching the temple door, the creature seemed to grow more agitated, accelerating slightly.
Aldric stopped at the door, hand on its surface. He set down his wood bundle and turned to face the approaching monster with a smile. As soon as he saw it, his notification window updated:
[Monster Detected, Updating Data]
[Ghoul]
[Physical Assessment: 2.01; Life Energy Generation: 1.3 (Human average: 1/0.01)]
[Soul Assessment: 0.5; Spirit Energy Generation: 0.12 (Human average: 1/0.01)]
[Category: Physical Infection Type]
[Origin: Former human whose corpse wasn't properly handled after death, infected by unknown elements and reanimated as a monster harboring intense hatred for the living.]
[Special Ability: State Lock - Its body is fixed in this monstrous form. Any damage inflicted will regenerate over time]
[Weakness: Given this scenario's theme,even a toe could guess—it's fire! Also effective are other positive energies and various purification abilities.]
[Monster Evaluation: Strictly speaking, its special ability is truly BUG-worthy. If it didn't have so many weaknesses, it wouldn't be just a minor monster]