Apocalypse: System of lotteries



[Day 1 of Employment: Today was exhilarating. The company is grand and exceptional. Instead of diving straight into work, I was introduced to the company's culture, which felt refreshing. I hope to shine with my talents here.]

[Day 7: I've finished my orientation on the company culture and passed the corporate test. I'm officially on the job now. I'm quite fond of the trainer, not in a romantic sense, but with an appreciation for her approach. She's amiable, has a pleasant voice, and most importantly, she advised me to open up and embrace the world. I treasure those words.]

[Day 12: I was assigned to a new game development team, focused on designing a "Apocalyptic" genre game. There are forty-five of us, and we immediately commenced our first planning meeting. The excitement is palpable, imagining creating something from scratch. Our manager tasked us to gather information and brainstorm, with discussions to follow in a week.]

[Day 19: Today was nerve-wracking. It was my first time sharing my ideas in front of everyone. I wasn't the first to present, but I was saddened by what I learned. I'd hoped we were innovating, but there's a consensus to replicate existing models. Frankly, I'm disappointed. A company this vast resorting to imitation and plagiarism, but for the sake of making more money and enriching my AI, I'll press on.]

[Day 28: I've been coding relentlessly. The workload is hefty, as our manager promised superiors a game launch date. Another development discussion took place, but it didn't concern me; I just have to keep coding. However, I genuinely dislike copying and clichéd gameplay. A "Post-Apocalyptic" game should have innovations.]

[Day 38: I mustered the courage to present my game proposal to the project manager. I hoped he'd see the uniqueness in my ideas. Yet, he declined it, stating that the game's concept and gameplay were too intricate and didn't align with our primary market's desire for straightforward, uncomplicated experiences. I understand, but I'll implement my ideas in AI, after all, it's my passion.]

[Day 46: The days are incredibly hectic, often stretching till midnight, sometimes even till the early hours. Thankfully, my past as a delivery guy has conditioned me for this. The good news: the manager mentioned my name for the internal performance review. Just have to keep pushing and make more money.]

[Day 77: I've always felt that such a frantic and stable routine can erode one's will. For now, this is my life. But today was unfortunate. The narrative system I manage experienced a significant glitch yesterday. The manager was livid because diagnosing and fixing it will take ample time.]

[Day 89: Tears stained my face today. A colleague, who I always shared laughs with and considered a friend, sabotaged my computer and the segment I was handling. When confronted, he confessed he's been here for three years, and without a performance upgrade, he'd be let go. I chose to forgive him, but my heart is heavy.]

[Day 96 of Employment: Money is wonderful. Little A now has a physical body, made of carbon fiber. I've also installed eyes for it. Everything that can be stored is now inside its 'brain domain', easily accessible whenever needed.]

[Day 110: Work remains hectic and stable. It's time for the performance reviews again, but this time I wasn't on the list. The reasons are unclear. So, I took a walk by the beach that evening. I saw many couples laughing and enjoying themselves, and I felt a pang of envy. After all, I'm a regular guy too. Yet, no one seems to have noticed me in 'that' way. Hence, I've decided to create a companion for Little A. Building upon the foundation of Little A, I plan to optimize and develop Little B.]

[...]

Having finished reading the journal, Ming stores it away and leans back in his car seat, eyes closed, letting his mind wander. The entries from today were rich in content, so much so that they made his thoughts whirl in confusion.

Janice had started her career at the gaming company by working on the "Post-Apocalyptic" game. She then integrated her ideas into Little A and now plans to create Little B. Based on the timeline, Little B should already be in existence.

"..."

Ming, resting against his seat, ponders. If the rule is about A and B, then it might justify his earlier hunch. He had always felt that the rule was paradoxical—targeting yet... providing benefits.

With these thoughts and today's journal entry, he wonders if A and B might have some... mutual repulsion. He hopes this might be the case, but the truth shouldn't be too far off now.

Suddenly, it's dawn. Ming gazes out of the window, chewing on a piece of bread, and feeds some worms to his pet frogs. After all, these chubby worms are the most convenient snacks for the journey.

[Your Napoleon gulps down the worm, thinking that Da Vinci must be undergoing some form of asceticism. How can one eat these tasteless things day in and day out?]

[Your Da Vinci frog gives them a look, "I prefer a vegetarian diet. It's healthier. You wouldn't understand."]

[Your Foodie frog points at a wriggling white worm and teases Da Vinci, "The worm is moving!" Da Vinci swats at Foodie, "Of course, you have to eat fresh when it comes to worms."]

[Foodie looks at Da Vinci, "What I meant is, it moves. It's alive, not a vegetable!"]

[Your Da Vinci retorts with a glare, "Eat if you want, otherwise step aside."]

"Huh?"

At this moment, Ming noticed that Kubo seems to have driven the car out of the fog, entering a city. The reason for this certainty is that inside the fog, everything was dreary and gray, but the city before him has a blue sky, and there was greenery growing between the walls and roads. It's as if the city is coming back to life.

However, it's still unclear if this place belongs to a certain section or is just a random area. So, for now, it's best to keep the horde of zombies in the fog. Bringing a group of super zombies into a potentially controlled area might cause unnecessary trouble.

As Kubo navigates through the city streets, Ming, seated in the back, observes the surroundings but doesn't notice anything unusual.

Upon reaching a plaza surrounded by commercial buildings and a large shopping mall, it becomes clear that this isn't a specific zone since there's not a single person in sight.

Deciding to make the most of the situation, Ming gets out of the car, intending to scavenge in the mall. He feels uneasy leaving the place without taking anything.

Suddenly, a faint scent catches his attention. Human?

From the left, a man dashes out. Upon seeing Ming, he shouts, "Run, brother! A King-level is chasing! Meet at the old spot and head back to camp!" The man doesn't even pause as he speaks.

"Roar!!"

An undead creature with dark purple eyes brandishing a long knife emerges. Ming grins, seeing the money and experience. Without hesitation, he pulls out his silver bow, jumps in front of the creature, and shoots!

With a swift series of shots, the five-star King-level zombie's defenses shatter. Ming puts away his bow and, wielding his thunder hammer, delivers a crippling blow.

Straightening his clothes, Ming signals Kubo with a glance. Understanding Ming's intention, Kubo steps out of the car and secures the incapacitated King-level zombie to the car's roof.

Standing nearby, Lofir gazed in astonishment. "You are Guteman, aren't you?" he stammered.

Ming turned to face the man, finding no recognition in his. Could this man hail from Zone 109?

Lofir greeted, "I knew it would work. I've indeed summoned you."

Silence filled the air.

Ming observed the man before him, pondering, "Summoned? What does he mean?"

After a brief pause, he followed the stranger to what was referred to as 'the camp'. There, upon an altar, stood a clay statue. The very same statue that David had once sold for others to offer incense and worship.

How resemblance, the resemblance was quite uncanny.

But, David, you didn't give me your dividend.