System

Night had fallen, and the silence was broken only by the occasional distant groan of a zombie, as Kia surveyed the now eerily quiet house.

He had been busy since leaving the room. The dead bodies of the intruding zombies had been hauled out and hidden in the backyard, the doors and windows reinforced with furniture and bits of scrap metal he'd found around the house. For now, they were safe.

In the kitchen, he found a half-eaten box of cereal that might tide them over until morning.

He sat himself chair and took a moment to catch his breath as his muscles was aching in exhaustion. With a heavy sigh, he glanced down at the watch.

"I am done with all you advised. You can start now." He said.

The watch hummed to life, the screen illuminated a soft glow and it began.

[I am an AI system designed for survival and assistance. My purpose is to fuse with a host, providing them with essential information and guidance to navigate through dangerous situations.]

Kia listened intently, his fatigue momentarily forgotten as the system continued to speak.

[Once activated, the host becomes an integral part of the system, able to access its resources and capabilities. There are over 100 systems of my kind, each designed for the same purpose of aiding individuals in survival scenarios.]

"Wait…" Kia interrupted. "There are more .of you?" he asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "I thought I was the only one with a system like this!"

The system responded calmly, [Kia, you are indeed one of few who has access to such advanced technology. The other systems have been distributed to individuals in different regions, based on strategic locations and current threat levels. I, System-44, was deployed in your area due to the high concentration of infected individuals.]

Kia felt a chill run down his spine and he gulped down nothing.

"How do I find them?" He asked.

[That I do not know at least, not yet]

[The distribution of systems was a carefully planned operation. They were designed to remain undetectable to prevent discovery and possible interference from the infected population. However, I can assure you that the other systems are out there, and they are working to ensure the survival of their hosts, just as I am here for you. If you encounter another system-integrated survivor, your systems will recognize each other and allow for communication. Until then, your priority should be survival.]

[As stated before, every task performed earn you points which enables you to rank up and earn more rewards. Click the red button on my screen to see your current status]

The system urged, highlighting a button that read "Status Check" on its screen. Kia surged and click the button as soon as he did an holographic screen materialized before Kia, illuminating his face with its soft, greenish light causing him to gasp in surprise.

[SYSTEM STATUS: ACTIVE

| SYSTEM TIME: 21hrs

| POINTS: 130

| RANK: SILVER

| ABILITIES: spotting infected

| DAILY TASKS: COMPLETED]

Kia's brow furrowed as he stared at the screen in-front of him. "Daily tasks" he muttered and then raised his right hand.

Kia's finger hovered over the "Daily Tasks" section of the screen for a moment before clicking it, causing a new window to appear.

[DAILY TASKS | 30POINTS]

-Activate the system

-Eliminate one infected

-Assisting a survival

Each of them had a check mark signifying that Kia had successfully completed them.

"What are these daily tasks about?"

[Daily Tasks are regular, simple missions that you can complete to earn points and improve your ranking. These tasks serve as a guideline for your survival strategy and help you stay on top of your game. They are updated daily based on your current location, ranking, and situation.]

"What if I don't complete them on time?"

[you lose points]

Kia scoffed. "What if I don't care? What if I don't want to do he part of any of these? How do I take this fucking watch off my write without getting electrocuted?"

[I am afraid that is not an option. The watch is now a part of your body and can only be deactivated once the mission is completed]

"Bullshit!" Kia yelled slamming his hand against the kitchen table. There was no way he was going to go against those monster because a system told him to.

"Let's say I decide not to partake in anything at all and just live my life the way I want pretending I don't have a watch forcefully attached to my wrist. What then?"

[like I have stated before, for each tasks not completed you will lose points. For every mission you refuse to carry out, points will be deducted from your ranking, possibly leading to you losing your Silver rank. If your rank drops to Bronze or below, you may experience a decrease in the watch's functionality, which could put you at a disadvantage in this survival situation. Once all your points are deducted, you will be seen as a parasite and as such, you will be eliminated."

Kia face when from anger, to shock and then to a fit of rage. His face hardened.

"You can't do that!" He growled. "I am a human being with right not a pawn in this little game."

[I understand your frustration but it is crucial to remember that this is not a game. It is a matter of life and death. you possess the ability to use the system to your advantage. The choice is yours.]

"I didn't ask for any of these." He muttered lowing his head. He should have died when he had the chance, now even death was difficult.

He sighed and banged against the table. Wanting to protest again when another voice echoed through the quiet room.

"Mister." Sofia whispered, poking her head through the kitchen door frame.

"What…what! What is it? What do you want!" Kia yelled in anger before turning his head in her direction.

She pouted her lip and fidget on her shirt. slowly lowering her head, she muttered. "I am hungry."