What was most disturbing about the ordeal was that there was a text box to type a response to Madam Shellton. Was I expected to respond with words…?

What sort of AI could handle that?

Before I had the chance to look at the other exclamation points, a tip came up about income. Income is displayed in the lower left corner, and occurs daily in game, 1 hour in real life. Currently, my income bar displayed some wood looking planks +10, a little green herb thing +3, and a turtle +1.

After mousing over, it was as I thought. Wood, Spiritual Herbs, and population. Although I wasn’t quite sure what Spiritual had to do with Herbs, it was the resource that Madam Shellton wanted.

Another tip appeared, telling me that I was in a “Decision Moment”. As I decided how to allocate my resources. During that time, time was paused within my Sect area. However, other’s time is not paused, so they could be becoming powerful as I considered.

I looked at the two other exclamation point individuals. Dr. Slowand: a bent over old turtle that wanted the herbs for healing and the wood used to build additional houses, and Derek Shelley, who urged we trade our resources for weapons.

Unfortunately, all of turtle-ly options were equally fire and brimstone about refusal.

“Kukuku…” I chuckled aloud, “You think this is a challenge? I have worked a middle management position at a dead end job for years! This is nothing!”

My play style focused around having higher population. I assume the more turtles I had, the more I could do other things, whenever the game actually started. Thus, I wanted to go with Dr. Slowand.

I began typing out a message to Madam Shellton.

“I hadn’t even thought to use the herbs in that way! Truly innovative. However… hum hum, you know the difficult situation within the sect. Yours is the correct path, but the others… They do not recognize your wisdom in the way that I do. How about this: while you and I make preparations to implement a more strict training regimen for the young turtles, we placate the others. What do we get in the meantime? More bodies. More bodies training, which is the entire point. Please, feel free at any time to bring me your ideas, they are incredibly helpful…”

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I typed out a similar response to Derek Shelley, except that the bodies would be used to harvest more Spirit Herbs, which we could then trade.

To Dr. Slowand, I only sent my assent. He immediately began construction of 4 wooden houses, and a Doctor’s Quarters. To my delight, my incomes rose to +3 Population.

But then I hesitated. What was I supposed to do with the next hour…? How did you really play this game…?

Before I could think about it too much, however, something happened.

I was zoomed in rather close, so I saw the entire thing. The turtles seemed to behave in quite a humanlike manner, walking around in groups and chatting. But there was one turtle who was always completely alone.

That loner turtle happened to cross paths with a group of three turtles, who I had noticed had been hanging around Madam Shellton. I was pondering whether there were factions within my sect when the loner tripped. Notifications began popping up.

Due to his arrogance, Young Master Pebbles has insulted Snapper, who tripped.

Young Master Pebbles’ cronies laugh.

Snapper is insulted.

Due to his high Arrogance, Snapper cannot condone this loss of face.

Due to his high Stubbornness, Snapper refuses to back down, even though outnumbered.

Due to his high Volatility, Snapper has attacked Young Master Pebbles and his cronies!

I watched as Snapper stood, his tiny turtle body trembling. Then he struck, punching Young Master Peebles in the jaw with his fist.

Wait, he was a turtle. Does he have a fist…? Is it some kind of hoof…?

I made a mental note to research turtles some more, but as Young Master Pebbles fell to the ground, his cronies reacted with surprising detail. One stumbled backward, shocked, but the other leapt towards Snapper.

They grappled for a small amount of time, but Snapper got the better of that crony, throwing him to the ground. By that time, the other crony had circled around and got Snapper in a headlock. It seemed a little awkward, because their shells got in the way, but Snapper couldn’t break free.

At the last second, just as it seemed Snapper’s strength was about to give out, he heaved, throwing the final crony into a tree.

*Boop*

*Boop, Boop, Boop, Boop*

An exclamation appeared over the thrown crony, then Snapper, then Young Master Pebbles….

I zoomed out. The final two were over Madam Shellton and Dr. Slowand. Seeing as it was the first to appear, I clicked on the exclamation point over the crony.

Crony 1 has died!

Eh…?

Sure enough, my population had decreased to 31.