Lin froze. Wait a second... so, you're saying if I don't eat, I'll die painfully? He stared at the screen, disbelief creeping in. "That's... terrifying." Jokes aside, he thought, I've only been without food for a day. People can survive three days without food and seven days without water, right? He frowned. Or is it the other way around?
His mind raced, but the ticking clock only added to the pressure. Whatever it is… Even with my current strength, I should be able to last at least another day. How come you just gave me only 3 hours? He kept his gaze on the screen, frustration building, but no answer came from the system.
Lin let out a sigh. "Tell me the truth, what am I to you, System?" he muttered under his breath. Am I just like a dead battery that seems full but dies suddenly when it hits 70-80%?
A memory flashed before his eyes: his smartphone before he died. It wasn't the priciest phone, but it was good enough for everyday tasks. Then, he discovered something strange: even when the phone was fully charged, it would suddenly die when the battery reached 70-80%. What a phone it was, SD 840 processor with a 5000mAh battery, giving me seven hours of heavy gaming. I'll always miss you, my beauty.
After a few seconds, Lin took a deep breath. Focus. You're a goat now. No use crying over a mobile phone. With time running out, he knew he had to act fast. But the mission made it clear that not all grass was safe. Some could even be dangerous. Just great. Now he had to worry about picking the wrong snack and poisoning himself.
He closed the system windows and scanned his surroundings. All he saw nearby were scraggly, dying blades of grass, nothing that looked remotely appetizing. Slim pickings, he thought.
So, he looked farther afield. Off in the distance, directly ahead, he spotted a row of houses. From his earlier observations, he'd figured that area was called the pan. But it wasn't the buildings that caught his attention; it was the patch of lush greenery around them. The sight made him glance around, hoping for another option.
Unfortunately, the grassland to his right, left, and even behind him stretched on and on, but it all looked dry and lifeless from where he stood. He didn't want to risk heading in any of those directions; for all he knew, the farm went on for miles, and he wasn't even sure there was a fence protecting those sides. The only option that made sense was to head toward the pan. Besides, that goat named Rokan had told him to stay close to where he was. And most importantly, he didn't have much time.
Without much hesitation, he started walking. After a few minutes, Lin slowed down. From here, he could see the pan clearly, along with the row of houses, probably built for the shepherds. But what made him stop was the sight of many goats gathering in that direction. He'd just been knocked unconscious not long ago by some strange yearning, and he wasn't eager to get into trouble again. Maybe that's not such a good idea, he thought. The last thing he needed was more problems.
He looked down and noticed that the grass beneath his hooves was a bit greener here. After a moment's hesitation, he decided it was safer to stick to the grass around him, even if it didn't look promising. At least it might quiet his hunger for a bit.
Steeling himself, Lin lowered his head to graze. But before he could take a bite, a sharp, unpleasant scent hit his nose. What on earth is that? He sniffed again, trying to pinpoint the source. That's when he noticed them, small, round, black pellets scattered among the grass. Not just a few, either. There were plenty.
He recognized them instantly. Goat droppings. Fantastic. I almost ate grass covered in goat droppings. The thought alone made his stomach turn. The smell was overwhelming, and he had to pull back.
He remembered reading somewhere that adult goats sometimes rubbed urine on themselves to smell more "goaty," thinking it would help attract females. Unbelievable. Even in a fantasy world, goats are still up to the same nonsense.
Lin wandered a bit, searching for better grass, but everywhere he went, it was the same, pee and droppings. Just how many are there? He thought, frustrated. My previous spot was better than this. At least under the tree's shade, there hadn't been any grass, just dead roots and nothing to eat, but at least it didn't smell like this.
What should I do now? Lin wondered. He glanced at the remaining time. Nearly an hour had passed by now. Most importantly, he felt his body grow heavier, exhaustion rising to a new level. Worst of all, he was getting sleepy, and his legs didn't want to budge anymore.
I don't have enough time, he told himself. If things keep going like this, I definitely won't make it. He looked toward the pan again; it wasn't far, and he could see goats moving around, lots of them. He could even make out the vague outline of buildings outside the farm, probably belonging to the shepherds.
Shifting his gaze, he looked back toward where he'd come from. It was far away now and looked desolate. It wasn't that goats weren't eating the grass, but for him, it was just too hard to eat something that reeked of pee.
"Fuck it," Lin cursed under his breath as he tried to figure out what to do next. Should he go closer to the pan or stay where he was? For now, he decided to take a break. His small body couldn't handle this much exhaustion. Besides, a sharp pain throbbed in his abdomen. He tried to figure out if it was from yesterday's beating or just hunger. Either way, it doesn't matter now., I need to rest. Without a break, I won't be able to think straight.
With that, Lin started moving. Even though trees crowded all around, he still took his time, couldn't just flop down anywhere, not with the pain gnawing at his side. Gotta pick my spot. Somewhere, I can see trouble coming. Or at least somewhere soft. He wandered for a bit, eyes flicking between shadows, until he finally found a small grove tucked away from the main path.
As he walked, the pain grew sharper, every step a new complaint. Maybe after some rest, I'll feel better. Or maybe I'll just feel like a goat with a limp. Either way, better keep my eyes and ears open, he thought, glancing around, ears swiveling at every crackle of leaves.
He'd just started to settle in when a voice barked from behind, sharp as a snapped twig.
"Hey, you there, stop!"
Lin's heart leapt straight into his throat. Shit. Just my luck. I knew someone would come looking. And here they are, right on cue. He turned slowly, not wanting to spook whoever it was, or himself. Two adult goats stood there, sizing him up like he was a suspicious patch of weeds. One tall and lean, with a perpetually annoyed look, the other shorter, stockier, and already frowning like he'd lost a bet.
Do I run? Nah, no point. No way I'm outrunning two adults, not with this pain. Might as well see what they want. He stood his ground, trying to look harmless.
The tall one spoke first, voice clipped. "Have you seen a kid about your size come through here?" His eyes narrowed, scanning Lin like he was sizing up a suspect at a police lineup.
The stocky one, whose ears twitched with every word, nudged his companion. "Ease up, Bram. You're scaring the poor kid. He looks like he's about to bolt."
Bram snorted, not taking his eyes off Lin. "That's the point, Toro. If he bolts, we know he's hiding something."
Toro rolled his eyes. "Or maybe he's just tired and wants a nap. Not everyone is a criminal, Bram."
Lin let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. So they're not after me? Phew. That's a stroke of luck for once. He almost smiled, but caught himself. No need to tempt fate.
He stayed quiet, but the adult goat's patience snapped. "Why are you silent? Answer my question!" The goat's face twisted into a scowl, voice rising with frustration.
Lin swallowed, his mind racing. Great. Just what I needed. Maybe if I play it cool, they'll move on. Or maybe they'll decide I look guilty and drag me off anyway. Story of my life, huh?
"Uh, no, I haven't seen anyone," he managed, voice barely above a whisper.
Bram's nostrils flared. "You sure? You look like you've been running."