A/N: So! Answers chapter! I had some really good questions last chapter, so I thought I’d hit ‘em up. Maybe add some drama. Leeeeet’s seeeeee!
Thought I’d work on Horde first today. Also, I went back and changed the rifle mastery to marksmanship.
2 Game Manual
(Unknown POV)
“Sir.”
The AI’s voice distracted me from my five minute break. It’d better be important, because I only get two of these.
“What is it Eve.”
“You asked me to inform you when someone got a character with the Mental insanity condition,”
The door bursts open.
“Mr. Sanders! Tell me what’s going on right now!!”
Tch! It’s my secretary. She nags me more than my mom ever did.
“Why did you pick now to show up…” (Sanders)
“Eve.” (Secretary)
“Ms. Adams asked me to inform her whenever you gave, quote, ‘the creepy sadist smile,’ unquote.”
Double tch! You’d think that making the virtual reality technology and owning the most successful business in the world would finally earn me some freedom.
“Don’t worry Adams. He signed a waiver.” (S)
Shit.
Her eyes grew wide.
“What. Did. You. DO.” (A)
“… Nothing.” (S)
“Eve! What-“ (A)
“Override protocol. Code: 58008. Lockout Ms. Taylor Adams.” (S)
“Wha- That passwor- WHAT DID YOU DO!?” (A)
***
(MC POV)
*Scooooop*
*Crunch crunch crunch*
Despite all of the rage in my body that ruins reason and happiness, there’s one area it will never dominate. And that is love.
*Scooooop*
*Crunch crunch crunch*
My love for cereal is eternal, and shall never give into the hate!
*Scooooop*
*Crunch crunch crunch*
*Sluuuuuuurp*
“Ahhh…”
My love for cereal pales in comparison against my need for coffee.
Anyway, I took a break to eat something. Cause ya know. Food. But I am not a man to waste time!
I grab the ADZ instruction manual and pour into it. It’s old news by now, but hey, whatever can give me an edge.
When you start the game, you play as a random person with their own past. The character determines what kind of skills you start with. The character is takes over in survival mode. (More info on pg. 4)
Character Bio:
Each character has their own past. Their own story. To see your character’s past, open up the character bio screen in-game. At this point, memories will flood your mind, giving you a mini-movie of your character’s life, if you will. However, as a person experiences many moments in life, we’ve made some of those memories unlockable. They’re randomly triggered.
I flip to page four in between bites.
UI:
This game is not like many others. The reason is simple: we want realism. The game was made to let you experience a zombie apocalypse. How can you do that with bars in the way? Or when you focus on levels? Our game offers next-level realism. There is no HUD, no health bars. If you take damage, you feel pain. If you run a lot, you get tired. If you’re low on food, you feel hungry.
Skills:
The skills are your characters experience, taking the place of generic levels in this game. For example, if your character is a Japanese sword master, he has, say, level 54 sword mastery. When you start the game, you have yet to train with the sword, so you will find yourself swinging blindly. The more you as a player use the sword, the higher level the skill gets, the better you are with the sword. You will continue to unlock memories about sword mastery and passages in the character bio until level 54. After reaching the same level as the character, you will find leveling it up to be difficult.
*Scooooop*
*Crunch crunch crunch*
*Sluuuuuuurp*
I skip a couple of paragraphs.
The last skill, the survival skill, is a special skill. This is how well your character will do when you log off. Having a high level does not make your character omnipotent, however.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
This skill does not rise.
Pause.
*Gulp*
*Scoo-
I glance down at my bowl and discover it empty. I down my coffee and make my way to the capsule.
When I left Connor, it had been at an abandoned house about halfway to Thomaston.
***
After the bright light had effectively blinded me, I looked around. Seems like I just woke Connor up. Yawning accompanied a stretch as I got up.
Then, I noticed that I’m not where I left Connor.
Panicking and now fully awake, I gather up all of my stuff and grip my knife. I’m in some kind of class room. There are desks nearby. A school? I look out of the window. I’m on the second floor. I can see a house through the trees. Maybe that’s the one? I go to the door. Stepping out, I find my foot caught. The floor is suddenly getting closer!
Ow.
I get up and look at the reason. Seems Connor set up an alerting system by tying a bunch of silverware together on a string. The ends of the string are tied to two knives, both sticking out of the walls. Crafty. But where’d he get the string?
I take the system down to use later. It goes into the side pocket of the backpack. I move down the hall. Something assaults my nose, and I start coughing. It’s coming from the door on my left. The stench activates my tear ducts. I crouch, inch the door open, and ease inside.
All of the desks are pushed back. The floor can barely be seen through a group of unmoving zombie bodies and blood. The zombies seem dead. They number in the tens, surrounding less decayed bodies in the middle of the room. Most of the ones in the back have their heads at a weird angle or a large incision at the neck, while the front row has a mixture of bashed in heads, stab wounds, and a couple of well-placed bullet wounds. There are remains of broken weapons in some of the bodies. One of the zombies is even missing the top half of its head. The ceiling shows traces of what’s missing. Sick.
I inspect the other group of bodies. These ones are a mix and match of bodies of all ages and number about six. They look to have been human right before death, though a couple of bite marks can be seen on a few. There is one thing they all have in common.
A large cut at the neck.
I hastily set up the sound trap and start to look through Connor’s memories.
---
A scream.
The school?
Running.
Front door unlocked.
Gunshot. Shotgun?
More running.
Door.
More screams.
Zombies. Distracted. Vulnerable.
Stab. Cut the jugular. Break a neck. Ram knife into windpipe.
Zombies dead. People. Hostiles?
Bite marks.
Hostiles.
Shotgun guy first.
Saying something. Who am I?
Why does it matter? Dead anyways.
Knife into the neck. Slice.
Woman attacks. Hostile. Block, elbow. Knee. Slice.
Rest are afraid. Scared. Of me?
Screams. Annoying.
Child. Sis?
She runs towards me with a knife.
Not Olivia. Hostile.
Done.
Shotgun. Ammo? A little. Double barrel. Sawn off. Slow.
Old guy had some string.
Food? One can.
I check not Olivia. Backpack. Stuffed bear. Pockets? Seeds. Seeds?
Whatever.
Done. Tired.
---
I come back to myself. Sweat. I’m sweating? But I’m so cold. This pack is pretty heavy… A thought comes to my mind.
I throw the backpack down and look through it. The string was in the side pocket, so there’s no need to check there. I can see a handle. I pull it out, and it’s attached to a sawn off.
My stomach threatens mutiny, but I can barely think.
A weird feeling in my throat.
I leave the room and throw up in the hall.
A/N: So thoughts on this chapter? Questions answered? Was it too short? Lemme know in the comments!
P.S. Don’t expect a chapter tomorrow. I’ve got a transfer orientation to attend. Wish me luck!