Chapter Seven: Preparations, the purchased Worms (Rumored), and the System Shop (Food, Item, and Phone Date)
The bright morning, still carrying an unsettling stillness that had become the norm since the Tower appeared, was a stark contrast to the dim, dangerous upper levels Minwoo usually navigated. But hope, fragile yet persistent, pulled him toward a forgotten blacksmith shop and now, the East Mountain looming in the distance. He'd told his parents he was going on a more extensive scavenging run towards the old industrial zones on the city's outskirts, promising to be careful and return within a day or two. They worried, their faces bearing the permanent lines of anxiety that had etched themselves there since the world had fractured, but they understood his need to try for something better.
His first stop was a small, cluttered stall in the remnants of an old pet shop. Surprisingly, the owner still had some live bait left – containers of wriggling earthworms. Minwoo used the last of the crumpled banknotes his dad had given him to buy a couple of boxes. He vaguely remembered some outlandish rumors circulating amongst the survivors – whispers of certain creatures, even something as mundane as worms, yielding strange rewards like "coins" and "experience" if dealt with in a specific way. He'd always dismissed it as wishful thinking, desperate fantasies in a broken world.
He found a secluded, overgrown area, more out of boredom than genuine belief, and decided to try the ridiculous rumor. He placed a few worms on the damp earth. To his utter astonishment, small, insect-like creatures with faintly glowing segments were indeed attracted. They were weak, and his Hunter's Steel Dagger dispatched them easily. As the last one dissolved into a faint blue light, a number popped up in his mental interface: [+1 System Coin]. He stared, dumbfounded. The rumors were true. After about twenty minutes of disbelief-fueled experimentation, he had managed to gather 20 coins.
A mental command brought up a translucent blue screen – the system interface. He focused on a tab labeled [Shop]. A list of basic items appeared:
[Minor Healing Potion - 5 Coins]
[Stamina Recovery Elixir - 3 Coins]
[Basic Iron Ingot - 10 Coins]
[Dried Ration Pack - 4 Coins]
[Basic Climbing Gloves - 7 Coins]
(More Items Available)
Minwoo made his purchases. He bought a Minor Healing Potion, a Stamina Recovery Elixir, and two Dried Ration Packs. The items materialized in his possession with a faint shimmer of blue light. Unbelievable, he thought, a sense of burgeoning possibility mixing with his apprehension about the journey ahead. He also pulled out his old, cracked smartphone – miraculously, it still held a charge. He checked the date: April 22nd. He then recalled a detail from Yuna's interview – she mentioned the attack happening on April 23rd. Tomorrow.
With the basic supplies secured, he continued his journey towards the East Mountain. He also bartered for a length of thick climbing rope at a survivor's camp.
The trek towards the East Mountain was more treacherous than he'd anticipated. The once-familiar urban landscape was now scarred by the Tower's influence, with strange mutated flora and the occasional roaming monster. He stuck to overgrown backroads and the shadows of ruined buildings, relying on his instincts to avoid unwanted encounters. The sun began its slow descent, casting long, eerie shadows as the dark silhouette of the East Mountain finally rose against the hazy sky.
As dusk settled, painting the sky in hues of bruised purple and fading orange, Minwoo spotted a relatively intact minivan abandoned on the side of a less-traveled road. Its windows were shattered, but the interior looked somewhat sheltered. He cleared out some debris and decided to make it his temporary shelter for the night. As he settled into the ripped passenger seat, the memory of Yuna's future interview flickered in his mind – cornered, the sudden wind. The East Mountain. Tomorrow, he thought with a renewed sense of urgency. He needed to reach her.