100x Rebate System
1158 Words
Arthur's pupils contracted.
The voice had come from inside his head.
He looked around frantically.
No one was there.
Only the growls outside the room and the sound of zombies banging against the door.
Synchronization: 10%...20%...40%...
"What… what is happening?"
The mechanical voice continued as if it had not heard him.
Scanning host...
Name: Arthur Stronghold
Age: 26
Status: Severely Injured
Survival Probability: 3%
Arthur's face turned ugly.
Three percent?
Was his chance of survival really that low?
A loud crash interrupted his thoughts.
The door split further apart.
A rotten arm reached inside.
The zombie's blood-red eyes stared directly at him.
Arthur gritted his teeth and grabbed the fruit knife tightly.
"No matter what… I'm not dying here."
Synchronization complete.
100x Rebate System successfully activated.
A translucent blue screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
---
100x Rebate System
Current Host: Arthur Stronghold
Level: 1
Abilities Unlocked:
- Appraisal
- Designation
- Storage Space (Locked)
Main Function:
Sincerely gifting resources to designated female companions will trigger rebates.
Rewards may range from:
- 100x Return
- 500x Critical Return
- 1000x Divine Return
---
Arthur blinked.
A system?
This looked exactly like something from games and novels.
Had he gone insane?
Another notification appeared.
---
Beginner Mission
Survive the next 24 hours.
Reward:
- Basic Storage Space
- Starter Gift Package
Failure:
- Death
---
Arthur almost laughed.
Failure equals death?
The world was already trying to kill him.
Another loud bang shook the room.
Crack!
The door finally broke open.
A zombie stumbled inside.
Its face was half-rotten.
Blood covered its mouth.
One eye dangled loosely from its socket.
Arthur nearly vomited.
The zombie suddenly let out a horrible growl and charged toward him.
"s**t!"
Arthur instinctively swung the knife.
Slash!
The blade cut across the zombie's cheek.
But it barely slowed down.
The creature slammed into the hospital bed.
Arthur cried out in pain.
The knife almost slipped from his hand.
The zombie opened its mouth.
Its rotten teeth were inches away.
The stench nearly made Arthur faint.
"Get away from me!"
Using all his strength, he kicked the creature.
The zombie stumbled backward.
Arthur immediately grabbed a metal IV stand beside the bed.
Bang!
He smashed it into the zombie's head.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The zombie continued moving.
It was terrifying.
It felt no pain.
No fear.
Only hunger.
Arthur's hands trembled.
"Die!"
Bang!
This time, the metal rod pierced the zombie's eye.
The creature suddenly froze.
Then collapsed onto the floor.
Silence.
Arthur stood there breathing heavily.
He had actually killed one.
A notification appeared.
---
Zombie Eliminated.
Experience +1
---
Experience?
Arthur's expression became strange.
This really was like a game.
Then—
A scream came from outside.
"Help! Somebody help!"
Arthur looked toward the corridor.
The voice belonged to a woman.
More growls followed.
Without thinking, Arthur limped toward the door.
The hallway looked like hell.
Blood covered the floor.
Bodies were everywhere.
Doctors.
Patients.
Nurses.
Some were dead.
Others were feeding on corpses.
Arthur's face turned pale.
At the end of the corridor, a young nurse had fallen to the ground.
Three zombies were slowly approaching her.
She was crying.
"Please… someone…"
Arthur clenched his fists.
He should run.
His survival chance was already low.
Saving someone now was madness.
But then…
A blue screen suddenly appeared.
---
Suitable Designated Female Detected.
Name: Aiko Tachibana
Age: 24
Occupation: Nurse
Designation Compatibility: 98%
---
Arthur froze.
So this was one of the females mentioned by the system?
The nurse looked up.
Their eyes met.
"Please save me!"
The zombies drew closer.
Arthur cursed inwardly.
"Damn it!"
He grabbed the metal stand and rushed forward.
Bang!
One zombie fell.
Bang!
Another stumbled.
Aiko's eyes widened.
This injured man was actually trying to save her.
The third zombie lunged at Arthur.
He barely dodged.
The creature scratched his arm.
Arthur's heart almost stopped.
Had he been infected?
Ignoring the pain, he smashed the zombie repeatedly until it finally stopped moving.
Silence returned.
Arthur almost collapsed.
Aiko quickly supported him.
"Are… are you okay?"
He laughed bitterly.
"Do I look okay?"
For a moment, both of them simply stared at each other.
Then Aiko suddenly started crying.
"You saved me…"
Arthur looked away awkwardly.
"I couldn't just leave you."
A new notification appeared.
---
First Designated Female Available.
Would you like to designate Aiko Tachibana?
YES / NO
---
Arthur selected YES.
A faint light surrounded Aiko before disappearing.
She blinked.
"What was that?"
Arthur pretended not to know.
"I didn't see anything."
Another notification appeared.
---
Designation Successful.
Please gift an item to activate the rebate function.
---
Gift an item?
Arthur frowned.
What exactly could he give?
He looked around.
Nothing.
Then he remembered.
There was half a loaf of bread in his hospital bag.
Probably the last food he had.
Aiko's stomach suddenly growled.
Her face immediately turned red.
Arthur couldn't help smiling.
"You haven't eaten?"
She lowered her head.
"It's been almost a day…"
Arthur hesitated.
Food was priceless now.
The world had already collapsed.
Giving away his last food could mean death.
But the system…
After a long moment, he sighed.
He took out the bread and handed it to her.
"Eat."
Aiko stared at him in shock.
"What about you?"
"I'll survive."
"No… I can't take this."
Arthur smiled weakly.
"Just eat."
Aiko's eyes became slightly red.
No one had helped her since the outbreak began.
People had abandoned patients.
Others fought over supplies.
Yet this stranger had saved her and was now giving her his last food.
Slowly, she accepted the bread.
"Thank you…"
The moment she took a bite—
DING!
A bright blue screen appeared.
---
Gift Successful!
Calculating rebate...
Congratulations!
100x Critical Rebate Triggered!
You have received:
- 100 Premium Survival Bread Packs
- 100 Bottles of Purified Water
- Beginner Supply Crate ×10
Storage Space unlocked.
---
Arthur's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The supplies suddenly disappeared into a strange dimensional space connected to his mind.
His breathing became rapid.
This was real.
The system was real!
He had just turned half a loaf of bread into enough food to survive for months!
Aiko noticed his strange expression.
"What's wrong?"
Arthur slowly looked at her.
Then he looked at the blood-covered hospital.
The ruined world.
The zombies.
For the first time since waking up—
He smiled.
A genuine smile.
Perhaps…
The world had not completely abandoned him.
Perhaps…
He could survive.
No.
He could become much more than a survivor.
A new notification appeared.
---
Main Mission Updated
Objective:
Survive.
Grow stronger.
Build your own sanctuary.
Become the ruler of the new world.
Reward:
Unknown.
---
Arthur stared at those final words.
Become the ruler of the new world.
Outside the hospital window, smoke rose into the sky.
Explosions echoed in the distance.
The old world was dying.
A new era had begun.
And Arthur Stronghold had just taken his first step into it.
- Writer
