Thinking back, didn't I receive 3 skill points earlier? Hmm...

Pushing this thought away, the top right-hand side of my Minimap> was blinking. Assuming this was where my apartment was supposed to be located, I headed towards it. While walking towards it, it was already dead at night... the wildlife in the city was really active at night. Birds were chirping, owls hooting and various other bugs like Cicadas, grasshoppers, etc. could be heard off in the distance.

The wildlife in this area was really rich, this was a good thing. Although hunting for meals was still a rather far-fetched idea, it could be possible. Meat should be a valuable commodity, so it was always good to have some because good food was one life's only luxuries. Animals products such as chicken, rabbits or road-kill animals was also a pretty good jump from eating pre-heated canned food, at least quality wise.

This did not come as a surprise to me as most of the buildings here were not well maintained and somewhat abandoned. Maybe it was because this neighborhood was not in the neutral zone, where everything under the sun could be done here without consequences or repercussions. Everything here was fair game, all that mattered at this moment was the strength; because without it, one would not be able to survive in HIVE for long.

In all honesty, HIVE was nothing like how I thought it would be, I wonder how this supposedly helped inmates in their rehabilitation. It was more like a dumping ground for the unwanted; scums of society, lowest of life-forms that were deemed a threat to their fragile peace and order which they were trying to maintain.

While following the , it felt like we were crawling at a snail's pace. This was while following the conventional pathway the "system" had given us, mind you. Giving a rough estimate, it seemed as though we could reach the neutral zone by the next sundown. 

"Fuck this is taking forever..." cursing under my breath, my face contorted as I walked towards a car park, rummaging for supplies. While doing so, something else appeared on my . A red dot suddenly appeared near my radar, taking me by surprise.

[Hostile Presence discovered...]

[Target closing in...30 meters.]

Feeling anxious, this was actually my first time engaging in any form of battle. Hands still stuttering; I quickly rummaged around, taking whatever that could be used to inflict damage on the enemy. A pointed tip with enough room to grab onto an object was ideal, it was either that or a blunt weapon.

While rummaging through, I found a steel pipe lying around one of the broken down cars. Lady luck seemed to be on our side today! This time, without even willing the "system" to examine it, the "system" did it for me instinctively.

[Examining...]

[Item Confirmed... (Steel Pipe)]

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Item: Steel Pipe

Quality: Poor

Description: Steel Pipe, title says it all. Potentially fatal if hit with enough force or at the right area.

Bonus Effect: Blunt Trauma, Stun (3%)

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Awesome. The adrenaline rush was piling up, there were butterflies in my stomach. My senses felt as though it was temporarily heightened. Maybe this was the fabled "Survivor Mode" that your brain sends you in when in dire straits, facing a do-or-die situation? The rush is amazing, clutching the ... trying to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable skirmish.

Either one of us will be left after this, it's now or never!

Glancing over the once more, the flashing red dot has been up against my arse for some time now... and its pace has been increasing. Analyzing the situation I am in, my gameplan was to use the bus besides the car park entrance as cover. 

We still have a massive advantage over the enemy... the element of surprise!

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How will this go for Jasper?