Suho opened his eyes again, and the void was gone. He was lying on damp earth, surrounded by towering trees whose branches clawed at the sky. The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, shafts of sunlight piercing through the canopy in fractured beams. Strange cries echoed in the distance — not birds he recognized, but sharper, harsher sounds that made his skin prickle.
Beside him lay a leather pouch. He pulled it open — coins glinted inside, heavy and golden.
[Currency: 5 Gold 10 Silver 0 Bronze]
Suho muttered, "Money? This is what I get? Five gold and ten silver… and I'm stuck in a forest. What am I supposed to buy out here, squirrels?" He shook the pouch, listening to the clink of coins. "God really thinks this is compensation? I can't eat gold. I can't drink silver. And unless a tree accepts payment, I'm screwed."
He shoved the pouch into his belt, frustration simmering. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, thirst burned his throat. His tongue felt dry, his lips cracked. He scanned the forest, forcing himself to focus. "Alright. Step one: survive. Money's useless until I find people. So I need food, water, and shelter."
The system flickered faintly, responding to his thoughts. A translucent panel appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly blue-gold.
[Status: SUHO KIM — Commerce System]
Level: 1 (Novice Trader)
HP: 100/100
Stamina: 80/100
Courage Points: 0
Survival Efficiency: 0%
Primary Ability: Value Translation
Secondary Ability: Emotional Investment Multiplier
Passive: Bonded Growth Efficiency +300%
Suho blinked. "So it's really like a game interface. Guess I'm the player now."
Outlines shimmered in his vision: berries glowing faintly green, mushrooms with a dull red aura, a stream shimmering with a faint "Value: 5.0." He crouched by the berries.
[Wild Berries]
Value: 2.0
Edibility: Safe
Effect: Restores 5 Stamina
He plucked a handful and shoved them into his mouth. "Sweet. Tart. Better than starving."
The mushrooms pulsed with a warning.
[Red-Cap Mushroom]
Value: -10.0
Edibility: Toxic
Effect: -20 HP if consumed
Suho dropped them instantly. "Not touching those. Thanks for the heads-up."
At the stream, he cupped water in his hands. Cold, clean, refreshing.
[Fresh Water]
Value: 10.0
Effect: Restores 10 Stamina
Relief washed through him. "Okay. Food, water. Shelter next."
As the sun dipped, shadows stretched long across the forest floor. The cries of birds gave way to deeper, harsher sounds — growls, rustling, the snap of branches. Suho's pulse quickened. "I need somewhere safe. I'm not dying on night one."
The system flickered again.
[Tree Hollow]
Value: 15.0
Potential Use: Shelter, Concealment
He squeezed inside, stacking branches at the entrance. Sparks from two stones finally caught, and flames licked the wood. Warmth filled the hollow.
[Quest: Survive the First Night]
Objectives:
Gather food and water ✔ Find shelter ✔ Create fire ✔
Reward: +10 Survival Efficiency | +1 Courage Point
Status: COMPLETE
Suho collapsed beside the fire, exhausted. His stomach still ached, his body trembled, but he was alive. The system pulsed faintly.
[Survival Efficiency: 12%]
Suho chuckled weakly. "Better than zero."
The next morning, Suho pushed himself out of the hollow, blinking against the pale light. His body was stiff, his throat dry, but the fire's ashes still smoldered faintly. He climbed a small rise, brushing dew from his clothes. That's when he heard it — shouts, steel clashing, a scream.
Suho froze, heart pounding. He crept forward through the underbrush until he saw it: a wooden cart on the forest path, surrounded by bandits. Rough men with scarred faces and rusted blades tore through the wagon, cutting down its defenders. Suho's breath caught. "Bandits…"
He crouched low, watching in horror as the cart's guards fell one by one. The bandits looted quickly, laughing, before disappearing into the trees. Silence fell, broken only by the buzzing of flies.
Suho forced himself forward. The sight made his stomach twist — bodies sprawled across the dirt, lifeless eyes staring at nothing. Blood stained the ground. He gagged, nearly turning away. But then the system pulsed.
[Quest: Face the Aftermath]
Objectives:
Investigate the cart ✔ Gather useful items ✔ Confront fear ✔
Reward: Iron Sword (Worn) | +5 Courage Points | Survival Efficiency +10
Status: COMPLETE
Suho clenched his fists. "I can't just run. If I'm going to live here… I need to face this." He stepped closer, kneeling beside one of the fallen guards. A sword lay near his hand, its blade nicked but serviceable. Suho picked it up, the weight unfamiliar but solid.
[Iron Sword]
Value: 25.0
Condition: Worn
Effect: Basic Weapon — Attack +5
He swallowed hard. "Alright. I have a weapon now." From the cart, he found a small dagger and a half-empty waterskin. He strapped them to his belt, forcing himself not to look at the faces of the dead. "Sorry," he whispered. "I'll make this count."
Suho walked on, the path winding through the forest. His grip tightened on the sword, every rustle making him flinch. But step by step, his fear dulled into determination. Hours passed. The trees thinned. And then, beyond the rise, he saw them — stone walls, massive, towering, unmistakable.
A city.
The system pulsed one last time.
[Quest Complete: Reach Civilization]
Reward: Survival Efficiency +15 | Unlock: City Entry
Suho's breath caught. "Finally… civilization." He touched the pouch at his belt, feeling the weight of the coins. "Five gold, ten silver. Enough to get me through the gate. Enough to start something new."
He clenched his fists, determination burning in his chest. "Alright. Survive the forest. Reach the walls. And then… figure out what this world wants from me."