[You currently owe a total of USD 6,600. Failure to repay will result in further action being taken against you.]
[This is your final notice. The amount of USD 7,600 is due, and continued delay will not be tolerated.]
[Our records show an overdue debt of USD 3,200. We strongly advise you to settle this amount before legal or collection measures are enforced.]
[Non-payment of the USD 600 debt will leave us no choice but to pursue recovery through all available means.]
[If repayment of USD 100 is not received promptly, your account may be escalated to enforcement agencies.]
Brian does not even bother to delete all the threatening text messages. Even if he did that, the text messages will still be embedded on his brain anyways.
It has been awhile since he is hunted by the debt collectors and it has been a nightmare since day one.
Countless notification sounds all day and all night, threatening to come and get his life as a repayment of the debt he has.
A horn suddenly rang right on his ears.
Brian froze as his surprise send his debt collector's messages filled phone flew from his weak grip.
Tires screeches.
"Watch where you are going, Idiot!"
Another horn followed by as Brian mindlessly move his body to the side only to block another car from speeding up at two in the morning.
"Use your eyes!" another man barked.
Brian was just about to regain his consciousness when another car come speeding by right on his direction.
His heart slammed down to his stomach.
Gasping as he stumbled back.
Eyes darting fast to anything, as if asking for a help from no one knows what.
Another horn rang brutally in front of his eyes.
Headlights. Too close.
His stomach lurched.
CRASH!
…
…
…
"Congratulations! You have racked up too much debt from loan shark apps, your only way to turn over the situation is to join the system. Host, are you willing to join the fun?"
Brian blinked his eyes a few times only to be met with a total darkness.
The only sources of lights are some blue particles flowing around his body like a glow in the dark dust.
It looks pretty, though. He had to admit.
The particles suddenly moves in a uniformed way, as if it's on command, creating two boxes on the air.
Yes and No
"Host, please tap the button to finalize your decision." said the strange sound that get Brian looking around trying to find a hidden speaker somewhere in the darkness.
"Who are you?" Brian barked in caution.
"I am the Point-based Interactive Network for Jobs and Obligatory Loans System, the PINJOL System. The debt collector of all universes."
"The… what?"
"You've heard me. Please finalize your decision in no time."
"What will happen if I choose no?" Brian asked, starting to give in to whatever nightmare he is currently having right now.
"Can you pay off the debts you had from all the loan shark applications you had on your phone?"
…silence
"…no" he finally admits.
"Then, you'll die."
"WHAT!?"
"I said, you'll die."
Actually, what was said does not come off much as a surprise.
Brian does remember that he got hit by a car and is probably laying on a hospital bed right now which is the reason why he is now having a weird dream.
So, dying? It seems to be expected.
But how light the system say it, as if it does not matter at all, is what got Brian worked up a little bit.
"What will happen if I said yes?" Brian asked again.
"You will have to work for and with the system to pay off your debts with Points,"
"What do you mean?"
"You'll have to live it to understand what I mean, little human. Please finalize your decision in no time."
Brian does not think too much before tapping the blue yes flying in front of his face.
The blue particles suddenly flung violently to all directions in chaos.
The sound from before echoed in the darkness: "Initialization Complete. Sending host to targeted universe in three… two… one…"
Then, suddenly, he felt a strong pull from his back.
He just wanted to scream when his butt suddenly landed on a soft soil and the darkness shifted to a bright view of a seemingly peaceful village.
[Ding! ]
"Welcome to the Hupi village, host. Your main quest is to build a food supermarket in the village. Enjoy your stay, host!"
A sudden strange voice suddenly rang in his head.
[ Main Quest: Build a Food Supermarket. ]
[ Main Quest Status: Unlocked ]
Lines of notification can suddenly be seen from Brian's vision.
Before he could even make sense of what is currently happening, a loud voice is screeched from a distance, "Briaaaaannnnnn!"
By the time the last syllable hits his ear, the owner of the voice is already on her knees, sitting next to him.
She is probably a few younger than him, with a pinkish wavy hair that framed her natural youthful looks.
Having no idea who the pretty lady sitting next to him is, Brian only blinked and let out a "Yes?"
"Listen! I bring you hope!" she chirped.
Brian had no idea what she is talking about. Hell, he does not even had an idea where he is right now and how he get here.
The girl handed him a worn out cloth filled with something right on his palm.
Brian looked at the cloth and the lady with an eyes full of confusion.
"What?" she shot a confused look, "did you turn stupid after getting poisoned by the Rimba's scorpion stew last night?"
Just hearing the name of the dish is enough to send his guts up to his throat.
Who ever the hell this Rimba person is, Brian has taken a note not to eat anything from their hand ever again.
"Inside the cloth is tomato seeds. I get it after exchanging my prettiest skirt to the neighboring city. You know how precious tomatoes are. If you succeed on planting it, you'd totally get rich!"
[ Ding! You have got a starter seed. ]
[ Starter Quest Unlocked: Plant and Grow your first crop! ]
[ Reward Upon Completion: +100 pts ]
"Only 100!? What a stingy system!" he barks in his head.