Chapter 2: The First Exchange
The Horrors of the Night
The silence inside was more terrifying than the sounds outside. The zombies' growling, the scratching on walls, and the occasional sudden screams—quickly swallowed by an eerie stillness—echoed through the abandoned building. People inside held their breath, each heartbeat feeling like a step closer to death. Muffled sobs, rapid heartbeats, and whispered prayers became part of the night's dreadful symphony.
Kel sat by a broken wall, clutching his iron rod tightly. His eyes scanned the darkness, searching for threats in every shadow. He glanced at his Core Watch. The countdown was still running:
[06 Days : 23 Hours : 55 Minutes].
Only a few minutes had passed since the seven-day timer started, and already every second felt like an eternity.
He toggled through his watch tabs: CRAFTING, EXCHANGE, POWERS, TRADE. His mind worked like a server processing new data. He had one Core. The question now was—what should he do next?
The [EXCHANGE] tab glowed. It was simple logic. If the Core was the currency of this world, he had to convert it into points to stay alive. He tapped on the tab. A new screen appeared:
[EXCHANGE CORE]
[1 CORE = 1000 EXCHANGE POINTS]
[EXCHANGE? (Y/N)]
A thousand points! It seemed like a lot, but in this strange world, who knew what anything was worth? Without hesitation, he tapped Y. He needed supplies—fast.
A soft chime rang in his mind, like a successful transaction. The screen updated:
[CORE: 0]
[EXCHANGE POINTS: 1000]
[NEW TAB UNLOCKED: STORE]
Store! A brief smile flickered on Kel's face. This was a glimmer of hope. He immediately tapped on the STORE tab. A bright, glowing list appeared before him:
---
[STORE]
--- CONSUMABLES ---
Fresh Water (100ml) – 50 Points
Dried Rations (Small Pack) – 150 Points
Basic Medical Kit (Bandage, Antiseptic) – 200 Points
--- WEAPONS ---
Sharpened Metal Shard – 300 Points
Crude Axe – 700 Points
Hunter's Bow (5 Arrows) – 1500 Points
--- MISC ---
Tinder & Flint – 100 Points
Basic Compass – 250 Points
---
Kel scanned the list carefully. Water and rations came first. His throat suddenly felt dry. 150 points for a small ration pack, 50 for water. He had 1000 points.
"Water first," he thought. Dehydration could be deadly here. He tapped on Fresh Water and hit BUY. His watch pulsed, and a small glowing water bottle appeared in the air. Kel grabbed it—real. He popped the cap and drank it all in one go. It was the best water he'd ever tasted.
[Exchange Points: 950]
Next, he bought Dried Rations. A salty, dry flavor hit his tongue.
[Exchange Points: 800]
But he knew this wouldn't be enough. Not for seven days. That meant he needed more Cores—and to get those, he needed to kill more zombies. The thought sent a cold wave down his spine, but there was no alternative.
---
Law of the Rod
In the early hours of the morning, tension filled the building. Some people had fallen asleep, but most were wide awake, their eyes wide with fear. Kel tried to rest, eyes shut, but the groans of zombies and thoughts racing through his mind wouldn't let him.
As the red sun rose again, the zombie noises outside slightly faded—but not completely. Some still lurked near the broken building, peeking through the cracks.
Kel noticed glowing watches on a few others' wrists. That meant others had also obtained Cores. Some had already used their points. One man now wielded a Sharpened Metal Shard, appearing slightly more confident. A woman who had been crying earlier now bandaged her cut using a Basic Medical Kit.
Then, a heavy, arrogant man stood up. He called himself "Boss", wielding a rusty iron rod. His watch showed: CORE: 3. He had the most so far—and had exchanged two cores already.
"Listen up!" Boss shouted, voice echoing in the room. "I have the most points—2000! I'm the leader now!"
No one replied. Fear silenced everyone.
"We should help each other!" a thin girl whispered bravely.
"Help?" Boss laughed. "This world isn't for the weak. The weak die. I don't care."
His eyes landed on Kel, still quietly holding his iron rod.
"And you—little coder boy! Bet you don't even have a Core."
Kel didn't respond. No point arguing.
Suddenly, a zombie squeezed through another broken hole. It was lean, fast, its eyes bloodshot red. People screamed. Boss rushed with his rusty rod—but his swing was clumsy. The zombie advanced.
Kel reacted swiftly. He gripped his rod and lunged. His hit landed squarely on the zombie's head—CRACK! The zombie fell. Kel struck again. The body shattered into red dust, revealing a glowing Core.
He picked it up.
[CORE ACQUIRED: 1]
Now he had two Cores.
Boss stared at him, stunned. "How... how did you...?" Jealousy filled his voice.
Kel didn't answer. Instead, he immediately exchanged the Core:
[CORE: 0]
[EXCHANGE POINTS: 1800]
Boss was furious that Kel now had more points than him. "Give me your points!" he barked. "Or I'll throw you out!"
Kel looked him dead in the eye.
"Try it—and I'll show you what code and systems really mean in this world."
His voice was cold and firm. This wasn't the old Kel. This was a new survivor—calculating, sharp, and aware.
Boss hesitated. He saw something dangerous in Kel's eyes—not fear, but clarity.
He backed off, grumbling.
A small victory, but a critical one. Kel realized that in this world, strength came not just from weapons—but from understanding the system.
---
Night Plan
As the sun set again, turning the skies red to deep purple, Kel prepared his next move. He needed more Cores—not just to survive, but to dominate this system.
His Points: 1800
The [CRAFTING] tab was now essential. His iron rod wouldn't last long. He tapped CRAFTING.
Many recipes appeared, but most needed materials he didn't have—sturdy wood, sharp blades, metal scraps. One recipe caught his eye:
[CRUDE SPEAR]
Requirements: LONG STICK (1), SHARPENED METAL SHARD (1)
He didn't have the metal shard—but he could buy one.
[Sharpened Metal Shard – 300 Points]
A good investment. Spears had range. He bought it.
[Exchange Points: 1500]
Now he needed a Long Stick. Searching the broken building, he found an old wooden beam—likely from the ceiling. It was heavy but long enough.
[LONG STICK ACQUIRED]
He immediately crafted the Crude Spear. A shimmer later, he held a rough but solid spear—balanced and deadly.
[CRUDE SPEAR ACQUIRED]
[INVENTORY: Crude Spear (1), Dried Rations (1)]
Kel tested its weight. It felt good in his hands—strong, reliable.
Night had fully descended now. Zombie sounds grew louder. They were hunting.
Kel knew the seven-day trial was only the beginning. If he survived, there would be even tougher tests. The system wasn't just about surviving—it was about evolving. He had to merge his engineering logic with this ruthless new world.
Tonight, he wasn't just a coder.
He was a hunter. A player.
And in this game—he intended to win.
He gripped his spear tightly. In his eyes burned a light—not of fear, but unyielding resolve.
This was a new war for survival—and Kel was ready to conquer it.