As I picked myself up from the dirty floor and brought my hands to my throbbing head, I couldn't do anything but stand there and rub my temple's for a couple of minutes until the pain finally began to die down. Only once my head no longer felt like it was being beaten with a sledgehammer did I begin to take a look at my surroundings.
I was in an alleyway full of trash. More than that, I could see blood marks on the floor and walls—some old, some new. Deciding that staying in an unknown alleyway wasn't a smart idea, I began to make my way toward the exit to see where the heck I was.
What greeted me was an unfamiliar street lined with multiple signs displaying the same image and written in a language unknown to me: a brain with an "L."
After staring at the symbol for a few seconds, my head started to hurt again. Memories I didn't even know I had forgotten came flooding back.
Memories of watching Let's Play videos and lore breakdowns of a game called Lobotomy Corporation. The memories were fragmented and random. I could remember that Lobotomy Corporation existed, but I couldn't recall its premise or deeper lore, nor the details of the workers or the organization created by Project Moon. All I knew was that it was a game from my previous world, and that I loved the lore and everything related to it—yet I couldn't remember what it was actually about for the life of me.
Then something appeared in front of me.
A see-through, floating screen.
It was a system.
As I focused on it, text began to display across the panel.
Shop System
Use points to buy objects, information, and more.
Starter gift for the host: 100 points granted.
A 50% discount is applied to all items for your first purchases.
To earn points, the host must transfer their money into points.
Additionally, 10 points can be earned once every day.
A system.
Of course there was a system.
I started walking, blending into the crowd of people around me. As I wandered, I couldn't help but take quick glances at those passing by. Some were covered in scars. Others were missing limbs. A few had full cyborg arms or various bionic implants, like something straight out of Cyberpunk.
But more than anything, they all had the same look in their eyes.
Tired.
And maybe afraid.
Like someone could jump out of the shadows at any moment and shank them to death. They looked wary of everything and everyone, yet still forced polite, almost friendly expressions onto their faces.
The walkways were cleaner than the alleyway I woke up in, but if you paid close attention, you would notice the bloodstains. They were just less obvious here.
As I tried to get a lay of the land, those fractured memories began resurfacing again. At first they were unclear, like fog rolling in and out. But as time passed and the sun began sinking toward the horizon, the pieces finally came together.
And when they did, it hit me like another sledgehammer to the skull.
The Backstreets.
I remembered something.
In the world of Lobotomy Corporation—or rather, the world created by Project Moon—when night falls, the Backstreets become hunting grounds. Killers. Syndicates. Kidnappers. Organ harvesters. Things worse than all of that.
Staying outside at night in the Backstreets was almost a guaranteed death sentence.
Only the strong survived after dark.
The Nest was different. The Nest was safe. Or at least safer. It was basically a heavily guarded gated district where money bought protection. But I wasn't in the Nest.
I was in the Backstreets.
And the sun was setting.
I needed a plan. Fast.
As I thought about my options—especially since I didn't have enough points to buy anything significant—an idea came to mind.
Without hesitation, I mentally commanded the system to open.
I checked my inventory.
My eyes widened.
Apparently, I wasn't the only thing that had been transported to this world. All of my money had come with me. My savings. The retirement money my dad had given me before he passed.
For a moment, I hesitated.
I didn't want to touch it.
But this currency was useless here.
With a heavy heart, I converted all of my previous world money into points.
All of my savings.
All of my retirement funds.
Every penny, quarter, nickel, and dime I had saved since I was young.
All of it.
Converted.
The number appeared in front of me.
87,316 points.
That would have to do.
I briefly searched for something overwhelming. Something powerful. Quirks like New Order. Overhaul. Abilities that could make me untouchable.
I couldn't afford them.
Even at 50% off.
And apparently, my system required an upgrade before it would even allow access to items at that level.
So I swallowed my disappointment and focused on survival instead of dominance.
First things first—I needed to understand the language here. I placed a Language and Spelling Comprehension Packet into my cart.
If I couldn't read signs, contracts, or warnings, I was dead.
Next, protection.
I added Hat Kid's Magic Hat and Owlboy's regular owl cloak. The cloak would allow me to perform a spinning attack and glide. The Spectre Cloak was tempting—but far too expensive.
The Magic Hat was only the base version. If I wanted other hats—like the Potion Hat—I would need to craft them using magical yarn or buy them outright. But I needed something now.
So I purchased the Speed Hat and the Witch Hat.
The Witch Hat would allow me to summon explosive glass vials—simple, effective protection. The Speed Hat would help me run if protection failed.
Because in a place like this, running was survival.
I bought several badges from A Hat in Time to modify the umbrella—turning it into a grappling hook and enabling laser shots—along with Hat Kid's umbrella itself.
Next, I added the Hawkeye Mask from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for long-range vision.
Then I made a decision that might define my future more than any weapon.
The Heaven and Earth Beetle gems from Steven Universe.
I would become a Gem-human hybrid—similar to Steven. But instead of combat power, I would gain enhanced inventing and building abilities. The Heaven and Earth Beetles were designed to construct and create, not fight. They were weak. Fragile.
Even pre-awakened Steven could capture them.
But they could build.
And in a world like this, infrastructure might be more powerful than brute strength.
According to the system, the fused gem would appear in my belly button. It would have no consciousness—only function.
Good.
I didn't need another voice in my head.
Next, I purchased the Recycling Machine from Stardew Valley. With it, I could recycle trash into usable materials. I could generate income.
The Backstreets were full of garbage.
Which meant they were full of opportunity.
Lastly, I used my remaining discount to enchant the Magic Hat with a spatial expansion effect—similar to Newt Scamander's briefcase. Unfortunately, I could only afford to expand it to the size of a small kitchen. Enough room for a bed.
Not enough room for comfort.
I reviewed my cart.
Then pressed purchase.
Even with the 50% discount, that single transaction consumed more than half of my total points.
Everything here was expensive.
And I didn't dare spend everything. Not in the Backstreets. Not when night was coming.
The discount was gone.
But I was prepared.
At least a little.
I could now sleep inside my hat—like pulling a rabbit from a magician's trick.
Except I wasn't a rabbit.
And this wasn't a trick.
It was real magic.
And night was almost here.
End of Chapter One