POV Marcus Ajun Kim
Location: Massachusetts institute of technology
Country: USA
Continent: Earth
Time early morning
As soon as you got up in the morning from your dormitory that you shared with two other students you quickly stretched your limbs 10° sideways 10° straight and 10° horizontal for 30 minutes. Anything more than that would give you a a muscle ache and anything less will be ineffective. After that you quickly entered the bathroom where you brushed each tooth for 0.5 minutes before rensesing them. You then enter into the bathroom where spent another 3.5 minutes on each part of your body, cleaning them thoroughly to make sure there is no grime or efficiency on them. You then had a small breakfast consisting of 60% vegetable 20% meat and 20% carbohydrates in order to refresh your day. You knrw very well that too much of these may lead you to serious complications later in life but too less of it might lead you to serious complications now. After a very healthy breakfast (at least in your opinion) you took your trusted bike and quickly rolled off to school. As per your pattern you arrived exactly 30 minutes before class and began preparing everything needed for the class lectures. When class officially began you paid rapt attention to the teachers impartation of wisdom until she said something that made you put up your hand.
"Is there a problem Mr Kim?" She asked
"With due respect maam Peyton programming language was not invented by Jonathan lean house."
You said confidently
"That was just a polite fiction he wanted us to buy."
"Oh!!!"
She said in surprise
"May I ask how you're so certain of your answer Mr Kim"
"Certainly" you replied
"At the augustburg conference in Italy in 1929 Mr lean house was asked to solve a simple operation using his programming language and he couldn't. Are we to believe that the man who programmed python was incapable of using it to solve such a simple problem despite having what I believe must have been weeks or maybe months of preparation? I seriously believe he just stole the work of one of his underpaid employees and paid the man well enough to shut them up. it happens in the technology industries all the time."
"I see."
The lady quibbed in a tight voice
"I suppose I must appreciate you for that insightful contribution Mr Kim. You brought a fresh perspective to look at the matter from. Any other thing you like to add before I return to teaching?"
"Nothing mam."
You then thought for a moment
"Although I do believe there's a much simpler way to solve the the Siderian problem you are considering." You added
The teacher clearly wanted to ignore you but when she looked around the class it was clear that they wanted to see what you were talking about.
"Would you like to enlighten us young scholar?"
She said with gritted teeth
"With the utmost humility madam."
You replied as you stept up to the board.
Before long you were so absorbed in teaching your peers how to solve the Siderian formula that you did not notice that the lady in question had already left the class. You only got to know this when a hand touched your shoulder and you tend to see the principal staring at with a highly displeased expression.
"May I talk to you for a moment Mr Kim "
He said
A few moments later the man guided you to the second seat in his office and went to sit on that ornate antique chair he was always so proud of.
"Sir how old is that chair"
You asked
"Is that really important boy?"
The man asked suspiciously
"I am a passionate lover of antique sir."
You replied
"I like to know all there is to know about them."
"Well as I am sure you are aware. The first emperor of the romans made his declaration of eternal peace while sitting on this high back chair. When the dynasty fell most of the royal families properties were handed over to various museums. My great great grandfather bought this at an auction for quite a substantial sum."
He replied with a proud smile
"Anyway the reason you are here is because I have been getting quite the displeasing reports about you from every single one of your teachers."
"Displeasing reports?"
You asked
"Last I check my grades were amongst the top ten highest in the class."
"The were the highest in the whole school young man."
He countered
"No need for false humility."
"So then why will the teachers send displeasing reports about me."
"It's because you know so much that you make them look as if they do not know anything at all."
He said in a rising temper
"You introduce unorthodox methods, you speak over your teachers in lectures and you even give your peers test projects and assignments. Do you want to work as a substitute teacher in this school?"
"That's not an entirely revolting idea."
To your total surprise the man just bang the desk.
"Are you trying to toy with me now boy?"
"How can I sir you simply asked me a question and I answered."
You said mildly
The principle then took a few deep breaths and continued
"Boy I appreciate you knowing what you know and striving yourself to be better but can you please tell me why you find such pleasure and humiliating your teachers."
"I don't find pressure in humiliating anyone sir. I simply charge them to challenge themselves."
You explained
"Most of the teachers in our academy have gotten so comfortable in their little space that they do not reach out and bring new information to the students anymore. The same course outline that our seniors 5 years ago used what are the same course outline we are using now. Learning is supposed to be fun. Learning is supposed to be an adventure. Learning is supposed to be a challenge. The problem is all I see is teachers just trying to finish their task and go their own way and this produces students who has no love for learning."
"And you think your little tantrums is going to cure it?"
"Miss Jessica May spent 3 hours yesterday in the computer Hall researching a question I asked. Mr Tom Fisher spent a total of 7 hours this week researching issues I raised.
Mr John Lee spent a total of 20 hours 55 minutes and 15 seconds reading through the national reports on technical development after being blindsided by me in class. So yes sir I believe my tantrums is changing things."
The principle was quiet for some time as though thinking it through and then said
"And have you considered the resentment they will bear for you in their hearts? Have you considered the fact that they may make your grades suffer for your indiscretions?"
"The students are learning, the teachers are teaching and the principle is angry. What more can I ask for?"
You quibbed
The man took a deep breath to calm his temper and then said
"If he was any other student who have had the audacity to do half the things you are doing in the school I would have expelled them long ago. The only reason I still tolerate this nonsenseical behaviors of your words is because of the favors I owe your late father."
"There's no need for white lies Mr principle."
You countered
"The reason I am still here the reason I am sitting here the reason we are having this conversation is because you want the students to believe you encourage free speech. You know as much as I do that everything I say or do is entirely correct so if you decide to expel simply because I speak my mind what would you say to the rest of the students when they ask you the reason why?"
"So you will not stop with these shenanigans?"
"Maybe I will maybe I won't who knows."
The principle just gave a defeated sigh and pointed at the door and you took it as your cue to leave. However you walked halfway to the door and then turned back to him.
"Sir with all due respect, during the time of the Roman empire hardwood were not used to make imperial chairs. The chair you're sitting on was made entirely from hardwood and low grade silver. I believe your great great grandfather was duped."
You then walked out of the office.
Soon after that fruitful discussion with the principle, you follow the main passageway to the cafeteria.
On your way a slim body quickly grab onto your shoulders.
"This is the 14th time you've been to the principal office this month Marcus"
Your best friend quibbed
"Is it that you enjoy it or something?"
"I can't help it if everybody hates me Titus ."
You replied
"But maybe you could stop actively trying to give them more reasons to hate you?"
You smiled and said
"No. They're lazy and I tell them so. It's my place in the eco system."
You both then arrived at the cafeteria where you ordered a meal that consisted of 40% carbohydrate 10% greens and 50% meat in order to perfectly balance what you ate that money. However when you approached a table to eat everyone in that table quickly fled as though you had the plague. Not bothered in the slightest you and Titus sat down in the empty table and prepared your meal. Unfortunately though before you could start to enjoy the meal the local hyenas left whatever it is they were doing and came to harass you.
"Well well well, does Mr know it all even eat?"
The first one whose body stinks, known as Brett spoke.
"I would have thought our cafeteria food were too unhealthy for him."
The lean one whose breath smells worse than a sewer in the summer known as Peter said.
"Maybe he just took pity on us and decided to try our food. Should we stand by while he makes such painful sacrifice?"
Brett said as he stretched his disgusting hand and pulled your plate to him.
"Ehhhh guys."
Titus said fearfully
"Maybe we can...."
"Shut it fly face."
Peter cried and Titus shrunk into his seat trying to look as small as possible.
"Now now gentleman. There's no need for all this drama."
A third one in an overly straight uniform said
Unlike the first and second, the third one was dressed in a straight uniform made of cashmere material with an orange blond hair that must have seen oils worth your entire month rent and carried himself with the easy confidence of someone who gained respect without expecting it. Not surprising though, given the fact that he is Prinston Jackson. The fifth heir to the prestigious Prinston family of Greenwich international.
"I believe that Mr Kim is this trying to enjoy his lunch like anyone else."
He hidden pushed your tree back to you
"But I must tell you, this meal seems to be lacking a little salt."
So saying he took the small bottle of salt and turned the whole content into your meal.
"Problem solved Mr Kim"
He declared
"Please eat."
"Seriously? "
Jackson just nodded to Brett and he went and stood behind Titus's chair.
"Please eat."
Jackson repeated with a friendly smile
You began to slowly eat the overly salted meal one spoon at a time.
After the tenth spoon they must have grown board of the little game because they all turned to leave.
"You know you boys should be grateful to me."
You said with a small smile
"Seriously?"
Titus whispered harshly
"Certainly."
You confirmed
"If you were not for my fine advice Brett would still be smelling like a 30 years old garbage, Peter will still be walking around with rainbow teeth, and Jackson....oh sorry master Prinston would be wearing a green hat by now."
Without warning Jackson quickly moved towards you, grabbed your throat and smashed your back against the nearby food stand.
He then lifted you by the neck and moved your legs clean of the ground as far as his hands could reach
Any lesser man would have pissed himself in that situation but you found yourself a calm as a cucumber.
"You know Jackie, it is often said that the man who relies on physicality to dominate another man is either a coward or a fool. Which one are you?"
If your previous remark was troublesome in this remarks straight up opened Pandora's box because Jackson threw you to the ground and the other two began punching you everywhere there fists could reach.
Eventually the teachers came to break it off but when they saw young master Prinston involved, they calmed them down by sending only you to clean the computer room as detention.
At first you focused on cleaning for a while but before long you've decided to fiddle around with a couple of them. It was in the middle of this fiddling that a security alert came that someone was trying to hack the computer and without thinking you began defending and counter hacking the criminal.
You are a good hacker the best in your class maybe one of the top 50 in the city but your opponent must have been a higher grade because not only did him match you pie for pie but he seemed to possess some weird ability to twist various computing languages together. Before long you were forced to admit defeat.
"Impressive little one"
The hacker typed in a chat room he established.
"I have been hacking for many years now and I've never seen someone who could put up half a good fight as much as you."
"Don't try to compliment me criminal"
You boomed
"In the world of hacking only victory is what anything."
"True but then again good opponents are even better."
"What do you want."
You asked
"Are you here to steal from the school"
"If I was would I bother talking to you?"
He counted and you hate to admit it but he was right
"No. But that still doesn't change the basic fact that you are now in my school's computer and I have no way to force you out."
You added
"Do you perhaps want something from the school?"
"I want nothing from the school Mr Kim"
The hacker typed
"But I have something you may want from me?"
Your eyes brightened at the verbal trap and you intentionally sprung it.
"And what would that be?"
You said
"A challenge Mr Kim."
"And why would you think I need a challenge?"
The hacker just sent you a long list of informations and you quickly skim through them.
Name Marcus Ajun Kim. Age 17.
You were born to an abusive father who killed your mother so you killed him and fled your home when you were 6. You then took to the streets where you made a living by running little cons. Eventually at age 12,you ran a con on a Korean American businessman named Kim Pak Lee who instead of reporting you to the police adopted you as his own son and thought you the basics of computer knowledge and pharmacy. You went to the prestigious greater heights high School along with your sister and was offered a scholarshipinto the South Korean institute of pharmaceutical. However after your father's death you requested a transfer from the medical University to your current university in the USA where they are currently running out of materials to teach you. You won the world chess championship at 13. Redesigned St Peter balisca in Rome at age 14, opened a crypto market trading company that currently makes you father the richest man in Asia and North America and consequently pioneered the bloodless heart transplant that has been the bedrock of Greenwich financials for over 3 years now. Impressive Mr Kim quiet impressive.
"I'm not going to brag about my accomplishments nor am I going to ask you how you knew about them but what am I going to ask you is what do you want?"
You typed
"I already told you Mr Kim."
He typed back
"I have a challenge or set of challenges that I am going through and I believe that you and a few others are the key to solveing them."
"I have no need for challenges in my life."
He typed a 😂
"Are you going to tell me that the only reason why you've been bullying your teachers outsmarting your peers and harassing your principle is because it's fun.
Let's not beat around the bush my friend you want something that will task you to your limit. You want a challenge that will force you to use all you know in order to overcome it. And you want to face people who will not crumble 5 minutes under your genius am I right?"
You thought about his words for some time
"Am I to assume that your challenge involves such people?"
"I will not be here if it doesn't"
He typed
"Will you bring them to me and let me see what is so great about them?"
He then left a parting shot
"Receive the package, crack the code and play the game."
Immediately a ding came from your phone and you picked it up to see a file that someone had a apparently sent
Receive the package
You click down the received button and opened the email message only to see all sorts have computer languages tied within each other
Crack the code
You began untangling the computer languages each strand at a time. You started off with binary because it was the simplest, then went on to python because it was your favorite and then the rest because well that was what they code demanded. By the time you were done untangling the over 40 computer languages wrapped up in each other it was already late in the afternoon and your fingers were aching.
However once you finished untangling them the teacher in charge of detention walked in with a small box and a large book.
"This came for you in the school delivery"
She said and she walked out.
You then open the box and saw a small red pill and a piece of paper inside which you then began to read
Dear reader if you are reading this right now that means you're one of the lucky four beta testers of of the newly launched grimdark online congratulations. Now you may think that our methods of introducing the game it's lacking or inelegant but I can assure you that what we are introducing to you is anything but. For a simple demonstration why don't you take the pill and open the first page of the book.
A first you were very reluctant to put a pill that came from who knows where into your mouth but you gave it a quick thought and realized that if this hacker really wanted to kill you would he need to go to such extent? So saying you took the pill, opened the book and quickly notice the texture of it empty pages was tough like cards. To make it worse the vein cut your fingers and drew a small drop of blood from you.
You were about to curse but you quickly stopped yourself as you realize that whoever it was that had spent so much time tangling various computer languages will not have simply done all that for some lousy prank.
True enough you watched in amazement as the book turned your blood into a picture of you and writings beside it.
Name Marcus Ajung Kim
Age: 17
Civilian specialization: Technical
Malee: 1
Friction: 4
Senses: 7
Skills
Hacking: level 8
Insults: level 5
Mind games: level 7
Analysis level 3
Medical: level 9 (dormant)
Evaluation: A rare find a willing worker and a continuous striver.
Recommendation: use with a pinch of salt. If subject shows sign of disloyalty eliminateimmediately.
Are you curious about our little game? Are you excited? Are you afraid? WELL DON'T BE. The world of the grim dark is a word for the vigilant and if you lose your vigilance for one second you will die without knowing how. If such a small thing is enough for you to lose your rationality then what business do you have being alive? Buckle up intiate things are only getting started. Welcome to the dark.
You try as much as you can to understand what the hell the letter was talking about but before you could think too much about it your phone ring.
"Sup sis." You said cheerfully
Cut the shit Marcus why the hell did you do it?" She boomed
"Do what?"
You said in genuine confusion
"Why the hell would you call me and try to use our background to blackmail me."
"Excuse me??"
"Don't deny it you are the only one who knew about my adoption and knew about my Saturday shooting habits."
She Boomed
"My question is why the hell would you use that to send me some stupid blood sucking book"
Your temper had been rising due to her accusation but as soon as she said those words your blood froze
"A book that is tough as cards and cut your fingers when you open it?"
You asked in a throaty voice
"Yes.'
You forced the bile down your throat and said
"Sister I just received one too."