A young boy could be seen sitting at the base of a gargantuan tree in an eerie forest. The air reek of rot and the boy himself looked like a total reck.
His raven black hair was streaked with a dark viscous liquid that dripped unto his ordinary looking clothes. His violet eyes were dull, cold and his breathing uneven and most of all, he emitted a putrid smell that could make one gah and puke.
This person was Wang Ling. He had just survived a strenuous battle and his energy was depleted. Amidst all the system messages that appeared he sighed and groaned. The battle had not been easy but it had enlightened him on a few things and he had survived his first encounter with a defiled.
After catching his breath for a short while he quickly took a look at the messages that had entered.
"Thirteen universal merit points? That's quite a lot for just one kill."
Universal merit points were hard earned currency within a defiled world, it could decide the moment between life and death or the moment between breaking through a realm or suffering a backlash.
These merit points could only be earned by doing deeds considered meritorious by the universe, one could use them to upgrade skills or increase a particular physical attribute of theirs. But to earn them one had to slay defiled abominations sometimes in extremely large quantities or one had to fulfill a part of their role.
Since Wang Ling had just killed a defiled, he had earned quite a generous amount. With these he could buy items and resources from the system shop since this was the required currenecy he had been seeking to acquire.
'First I need to find shelter, the night is drawing nearer and one knows not how dangerous it is at night.'
Wang Ling picked himself up and shouldered his slender branch before throwing one last look at the corpse lying a few feet away from him. Since there was nothing he could do with it all he could do was leave it for now. Carrying it along with him for no reason would only slow him down.
He then observed the area he was in and began to walk in a certain direction where the trees didn't seem too many. If the trees seemed to be quite a lot in a certain direction, it meant he was going deeper into the forest, if they were sparse in another direction, it meant he was nearing a clearing or perhaps somewhere the natives of this world had lived in before they came in contact with defilement.
As he walked he conversed with the system mentally.
'System, how much does it cost to buy a directive manual?'
{The cost for a directive manual varies depending on content, but based on what's most suitable for raising proficiency in Cleaver technique, a certain manual has been picked out for you.}
{Directive manual for Basic Cleaver technique of the ten forms. Cost: 30UMP}
'Thirty universal merit points? Isn't this outright extortion?'
{Remember. This is is the only one most suitable for your use. There are countless others with a much lower price alongside non-effective practice tips.}
Seeing the systems explanations on how expensive a directive manual is and how it wasn't going to be effective, Wang Ling stopped trying to argue and moved on to other things.
'That aside, how many merit points would directly elevate my cleaver skills to small success?'
{To achieve small success using merit points, you would need to have a total of 50UMP}
Wang Ling was baffled. To think the system's items were so expensive requiring so many merit points just to elevate skills? Truly nothing but extortion.
Wang Ling then directly entered the shop and browsed through the section for consumable items.
{SHOP}
{Chow Mein. Quantity: 1 serving Cost: 10UMP}
{Mapo Tofu. Quantity: 1 serving Cost: 10UMP}
{Energy Recovery Drink. Quantity: 1 bottle. Cost: 15UMP}
{Silver Apples. Cost: 1UMP per one apple.}
'Purchase one silver apples.'
Upon seeing the price tag attached to most cooked dishes and even drinks, Wang Ling had become slightly dejected. The fight he had just had recently had drained him if most of his energy and he now craved something to fill his stomach with but likewise he didn't want to spend all of his hard earned merit points.
Once he saw the price tag attached to the silver apples he immediately purchased one of them without any hesitation.
{Ding!}
{You have purchased one silver apple and 1UMP has been deducted.}
{Total UMP left: 12}
Just then a slightly bright light shone before Wang Ling briefly and a silver skinned apple fell into his outstretched hand. It looked nothing like regular apples from his past life or from his present one, the ones here were also either red or green but this was silver and was even bigger than usual.
To top it off it even gave off a faint energy that seeped put of it in the form of a light silvery mist.
After examining the apple, Wang Ling bit into it and began to satisfy his hunger. A rich milky flavour filled his mouth as he chewed and as he swallowed a slightly noticeable warm current traveled down to his belly.
Just from eating it he felt slightly energized and refreshed, even his mind seemed slightly sharper and keener but Wang Ling knew this was only temporary. He had expected such a change after all this was a product from the system. Not like the common ones sold within markets or harvested from farms.
Quickly he finished the whole thing leaving only the core which he threw away. No use in keeping it.
'After eating just one apple I feel slightly filled. Truly a wondrous product only the system can provide.'
*Russsshhh*
Just then the distinguishable sound of water hitting rock reached Wang Ling's ears. He observed the area he had walked into, here the monstrously robust and giant trees were sparser, only standing in ones and twos.
There also didn't seem to be any immediate dangers around so Wang Ling chose to approach the river and see if it was consumable, he also wanted to take a dip and wash away the smell of rot and decay that emanated from him. He wasn't sure if the smell could attract the attention of more defiled so he didn't want to take unnecessary risks.
After walking abit further Wang Ling reached the river and stood patiently at the river bed with one hand shouldering his slender branch and another in his pocket looking very nonchalant. On the other side of the river was the continuation of the woods but no sign of shelter.
Looking at the river Wang Ling saw that it was crystal clear and there were even large fishes within it but he didn't know of the fishes were dangerous. What he need was the water not the fishes. Just as he bent down to scoop water in his hands and drink he heard approaching footsteps coming from behind him.
Wang Ling's instincts surged and he immediately jumped back before holding his slender branch in front of him with both hands. Before him stood a trembling boy and an even more trembling girl who clinged ti the boy's sleeves. They looked like they had both been spooked by a ghost.
He recognized this people, they were students from his school but they weren't from his class. Even after seeing and confirming that they were humans Wang Ling harboured no thoughts of lowering his slender branch.
First he thoroughly sized them up and seeing the canteen in the boys hands he can ento a conclusion of what they had been up to but he wanted to here it from them.
"What do you think you're doing sneaking up on me?" He demanded.
"Sneaking up on you? What do you mean we...we were only trying to offer you water. Aren't you that introverted Wang Ling from class D?"
"If you wanted to offer water you could have called out to me first."
"Why would we do that and risk drawing the attention of those abominations here? It's only natural that we want to remain quite isn't it?"
Listening to the boy's explanation Wang Ling finally lowered his slender branch but he remained wary and guarded. One could never put their trust in emotional ties and feelings, doing so would only get one killed.
He approached both of them and then took the canteen from them, quickly opening it to drink large gulps of much needed water. The water was cool and refreshing and only when seeing the expressions on their faces did he stop drinking, it was clear that they didn't want him to finish it all.
"You look like a mess and oh jeez you smell horrible. What happened to you?"
The boy asked with a foul expression while covering his nose with one hand and swatting the air with another. Wang Ling couldn't be bothered about what people thought of him and he wasn't just going to tell them he had been in a victorious battle with a defiled and had even gotten universal merit points, that would be stupid.
'From the looks of it they seem to have seen a defiled but haven't engaged in combat with one. If I tell them I fought one and came out victorious they'll use me as a meat shield and expect me to protect them if they ever encounter danger.'
'But that's if we'll be staying together.'
"Have you guys come across a shelter of sorts? It's getting dark and I think the danger level would increase extremely if we stay out in the open."
The boy hesitated for a bit and looked at the girl, then she whispered into his ear and he cleared his throat to relay the message.
"We have shelter but you need to pay up. You seem to have been in a battle or an incident of sorts recently so you must have earned universal merit points, pay us ten universal merit points and you can stay with us for one night."
'Fool, trying to fleece me dry? In your dreams.'
"Ten universal merit points? Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Take it or leave it, like you said staying out in the dark is dangerous. Our shelter provides warmth and is safe, even close to the river."
The big said and the girl nodded. To Wang Ling the buy was a fool and the girl who was pulling his strings was even more if a fool. After observing them he deduced that the person in control really wasn't the boy but the girl.
She was using him as a meat shield.
"Alright take me to your shelter, I'll pay you ten universal merit points when I see it."
Although they were wary of him what could they do? Humans were inherently evil and greedy by nature. They were willing to do anything as long as they reaped some benefit.
Both trial takers were just like that, they were fooled by the promise of merit points and showed Wang Ling their shelter which was a large hollow at yeb the base of one if the trees. It was almost like a small cave and it was cozy and warm with a barricade to block the entrance.
"So what do you say? Pay up and you can stay for the night, take the offer or leave it."
The boy said with a smile not even hiding his greed for the points. In response to his question Wang Ling only chuckled slightly and replied.
"Why do I have to pay for a night when I can just kill you and take your shelter for myself?"