The game loaded into a fog-shrouded village—Hollowpine Outpost, according to the cracked wooden sign half-buried in mud. Rotting hay, shattered windows, and the stench of decay hung in the air; distant groans told Elena this was no safe spawn point.She pulled up her status screen, quick to confirm:Race: UndeadTalent: [Thief God](Max-Rank)HP: 100/100Stats: Strength 5, Agility 8, Vitality 4, Intelligence 6 (Undead base stats)Skills: [Undead Resolve], [Cannibalize], [Take One], [God's Heist](Locked), [Shadow Veil], [Forget-Me-Not]Agility was her highest stat—good for sneaking. She tucked her phone into the in-game "Inventory" (a feature that synced with her real pocket, she'd learned last life) and moved low, sticking to the shadows of abandoned cottages.A groan cut closer. A Rotting Drifter stumbled into view—its skin oozing black fluid, tattered clothes hanging off bone-thin limbs. In its clawed hand: a rusted dagger, glinting faintly.Elena's lips curved. Her first target.She activated [Shadow Veil]. The air rippled around her, her Undead features shifting into a plain human traveler's face—no need to draw unwanted attention yet. She circled behind the Drifter, keeping her steps light; its sluggish movements made it easy to outmaneuver.She tapped [Take One].A faint blue glow wrapped around the Drifter's dagger. A notification popped:Steal Successful!Loot: Rusted Dagger (Common) + 5 Copper Coins[Forget-Me-Not]Activated: Target will not recall owning the dagger for 12 hours.The Drifter froze for a second, then resumed shuffling—unaware its weapon was gone. Elena tested the dagger's weight; dull, but better than bare hands.She didn't let up. While the Drifter was still distracted, she lunged, driving the dagger into its back. Black fluid spurted. The Drifter howled, swinging blindly—but Elena was already gone, darting to its side.Its HP dropped to 70%. Then 50%.A surge of power hit her. [Undead Resolve]triggered—all stats doubled. Strength 10, Agility 16, Vitality 8, Intelligence 12. Her movements felt sharper, faster. She dodged the Drifter's claw, then sliced its throat.HP: 30%.Stats doubled again. Agility hit 32. She moved like a blur, stabbing the Drifter three times in quick succession. It collapsed, dissolving into a cloud of gray mist that coalesced into a small loot bag.Elena opened it: 10 Copper Coins + a Moldy Loaf (Restores 10 HP). She ate the loaf—dry, but functional—and checked her status. HP was back to 60%."Not bad," she muttered. The combo of [Shadow Veil], [Take One], and [Undead Resolve]worked better than she'd hoped.She moved deeper into the outpost. More Drifters wandered, some carrying small pouches of coins, others with broken armor pieces. She stole from three more before fighting—each time, [Forget-Me-Not]kept them from reacting until it was too late. By the time she reached the village square, she'd collected:35 Copper Coins2 Rusted Daggers1 Cracked Leather Bracers (Agility +1)3 Moldy LoavesThe square's center held a stone well—and a figure leaning against it. Not a Drifter. A human player, male, his username "Jax" hovering above his head. He held a iron sword (Uncommon) and wore a cloth chestplate, his HP bar at 90%.Elena's eyes narrowed. Jax—she remembered him from last life. A mid-tier player who'd hoarded early resources, then sold them at inflated prices to newbies. He'd never been a threat to Ethan, but he'd made her life harder once, refusing to sell her a healing potion when she was bleeding out.Now, he was standing next to a crate—she could see the glint of a potion bottle inside.She deactivated [Shadow Veil], letting her Undead face show. Jax noticed her immediately, sneering. "Undead filth. Scram before I—"Elena didn't let him finish. She activated [Shadow Veil]again, shifting into a human woman's face, then darted toward the crate. Jax swung his sword, but her doubled Agility (thanks to [Undead Resolve], her HP was still at 60%) let her dodge easily.She tapped [Take One]on the crate.Steal Successful!Loot: Minor Healing Potion (Uncommon) + 20 Copper Coins[Forget-Me-Not]Activated: Target (Jax) will not recall owning the potion for 12 hours.Jax blinked, looking down at the crate. "Weird… thought I had a potion here." He shrugged, turning back to the well.Elena slipped away, the potion in her Inventory. She didn't kill Jax—yet. Wasting time on a mid-tier player wasn't worth it. Her goal was bigger: the Abandoned Mine on the outpost's edge, where last life Ethan had found his first Rare item—a pickaxe that let him mine ore twice as fast.She glanced at the sun rising in the game's sky. Beta would end in six hours."Time to move," she said, heading for the mine. "Ethan's not the only one who gets to hoard chances."
