2026-01-03 21:55:44Charlie moved uphill through thin trees and broken stone. Snow lay in patches where the sun did not reach. His boots slid on wet leaves, and he slowed his steps to keep quiet.
The air was cold and thin. Wind pushed through the branches and made a low sound. Charlie stopped when he heard something else under it.
A faint scrape came from the rocks ahead. It was slow and uneven. He tilted his head and listened again.
The sound came again, sharper this time. A short breath followed it. Charlie shifted his weight and moved toward it.
He stepped around a fallen log. Rusted metal showed between stones. A steel trap lay half-buried in dirt and ice.
A fox lay beside it. One hind leg was caught inside the jaws. The steel was old and rough, stained dark.
The fox pulled weakly at the trap. Its body shook with each movement. Its breathing was fast and shallow.
Charlie froze. He stood ten steps away and did not move. The fox lifted its head. Its eyes were wide and dull. It bared its teeth and made a thin sound.
Charlie’s hand drifted toward his belt. He did not draw anything. A sharp pressure bloomed behind his eyes. He blinked hard.
A red marker flashed across his vision. A flat tone followed it. “External subject detected,” the system said. “Injury confirmed.”
Charlie clenched his jaw. He shifted his stance and looked down at the trap. The metal jaws were clamped tight. The chain ran into the ground and was tied to a buried stake.
The fox pulled again and screamed. The sound cut off when it ran out of breath.
Charlie took one step back. The pressure in his head grew. It moved down his neck and into his shoulders. His fingers twitched.
“Action required,” the system said. “Delay increasing cost.”
Charlie exhaled through his nose. He looked away toward the trees.
Sect teachings came back in short phrases. Animals are tools. Animals are fuel. Animals are counted.
He stood still. His boots sank into soft dirt. The fox tried to crawl. Its trapped leg dragged useless behind it. Blood streaked the ground.
Charlie’s jaw tightened. He rubbed his left hand against his thigh. The pressure spiked. A sharp sting ran along his spine. His knees buckled for a moment.
“Warning escalated,” the system said. “Compliance recommended.”
Charlie swore under his breath. He turned back toward the fox. He took two careful steps forward. The fox snapped at the air but did not move closer.
Charlie crouched low. He kept his hands open and visible. “Easy,” he said. His voice was flat and low.
The fox growled. Its chest heaved. Its eyes never left his hands. Charlie reached for the chain. The fox lunged and yelped when the trap held.
Charlie stopped and waited. He stayed still until the fox’s breathing slowed a little. Snow drifted down from the branches above. It landed on the fox’s fur and melted.
Charlie pulled a small kit from his pack. He set it on the ground and opened it. Inside were bandages, a small pry tool, and a thin blade. He took out the tool first.
The pressure eased slightly. The red marker dimmed. “Proceed,” the system said.
Charlie slid the tool between the jaws of the trap. The metal creaked as he pushed. The fox thrashed. Its head struck a stone. Blood smeared its muzzle.
Charlie held firm. His arms shook, but he did not pull away. “Hold,” he said. The word came out rough.
The jaws spread a fraction. Charlie shifted the tool and pushed again. The trap snapped open. The fox jerked free and rolled onto its side.
Charlie dropped the tool and grabbed the fox’s leg. He pressed hard above the wound. The fox screamed once and went still. Its body trembled under his hands.
Charlie wrapped a bandage tight around the leg. He worked fast and steady. Blood soaked the cloth.
He added another layer and pulled it tighter. The fox’s breathing slowed. Its eyes blinked and focused on him.
Charlie eased his grip. He kept one hand on the fox’s shoulder. The pressure in his head faded. Warmth spread through his chest and arms.
“Exchange recorded,” the system said. “Stability increased.”
Charlie did not answer. He checked the bandage and adjusted it. The fox lifted its head. It did not snap. It watched him.
Charlie reached for the blade. He cut the chain near the stake. The metal fell away with a dull sound. He pushed it aside.
He slid his hands under the fox and moved it a short distance from the trap.
The fox tried to stand and failed. It rested on its side and breathed.
Charlie opened his pack again. He took out a small bottle and poured water into his palm. He held it near the fox’s mouth. The fox sniffed, then lapped weakly.
Charlie pulled his hand back. He wiped it on his pants. He stood and took a step away. He watched the fox closely.
The fox struggled to its feet. It put weight on three legs and hissed.
Charlie stayed still. He kept his eyes on the ground near the fox, not on its face.
The fox took one step, then another. It limped toward the trees. It stopped once and looked back. Its ears flicked. Its tail twitched.
Charlie did not move. The fox turned and disappeared into the brush.
Charlie let out a long breath. He leaned against a rock and closed his eyes for one second. The warmth lingered. His hands stopped shaking.
“Test complete,” the system said. “External exchange confirmed.”
Charlie opened his eyes. He looked at the empty trap on the ground. He bent down and picked it up. The metal was cold and heavy.
He carried it to a nearby tree and wedged it between roots. He left it there. Charlie checked his surroundings. The woods were quiet again. He adjusted his pack and started uphill.
Each step felt lighter than the last. The cold bit his skin, but he did not slow. Behind him, the wind moved through the trees. No sound followed him.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 9 — Pain as Teacher
Charlie stood in the broken clinic and did not move. Water dripped from a cracked pipe in the ceiling. Blood mixed with it on the floor and ran in thin red lines toward a drain that did not work. The lights above him flickered and buzzed, going dim, then bright again, like the room was breathing.Three people lay on cots. The man on the left held his chest with both hands. Every breath made a wet sound. His eyes were open, wide and glassy, and they followed Charlie wherever he moved.The woman near the wall shook as if the cold had reached her bones. Her leg was crushed beneath torn cloth and metal. Bone showed through. Her hands clawed at the sheets without knowing it. The third body lay still. Too still.Charlie looked at them one time. Just one. He did not speak. He did not promise anything. He did not pray.He lifted both hands. His fingers spread apart, slow and careful, as if the air itself might break. Near his left wrist, a faint light appeared. The system icon flickered into
CHAPTER 8 — Herb Sense Awakens
Charlie stood at the edge of the forest and did not move.The trees were close together here. Their trunks blocked the wind. The ground was dark with old leaves and wet soil.He took one slow step forward. Nothing attacked him. No sound followed. He took another step.Charlie closed his eyes and placed his hand on his chest. He pressed once, hard. The mark beneath his skin responded. His breath stopped. The world shifted.When he opened his eyes, the forest was not the same. Plants glowed. The glow was faint. It was not light like fire. It was more like a thin skin over each leaf and stem.Layers appeared. One layer faded as another came forward. Charlie turned his head slowly.Bushes showed pale green veins. Vines showed yellow nodes. Moss shimmered in dull blue patches across rocks.He crouched. The ground pulsed with small lights. Roots traced clear paths under the soil.Charlie reached toward a fern and stopped his hand short. A thin panel of symbols appeared beside the plant.He
CHAPTER 7 — Vitality Exchange
The fox lay on its side in the dirt. Its chest rose once, then again. Blood still darkened its fur.Charlie stood a few steps away. He did not move. His hands stayed open, fingers stiff. The fox twitched. One leg kicked. Its ears flicked.Charlie took a step back. Gravel slid under his boot. The fox rolled onto its belly. It pushed itself up with shaking legs. The wound along its ribs had closed. Only a thin line remained.Charlie’s jaw tightened. He watched the fox breathe. Each breath came easier.The fox shook itself. Dried blood cracked and fell away. Its eyes locked on Charlie.Charlie felt his arms go heavy. The weight settled into his muscles. His shoulders sank.He clenched his fists. The skin on his forearms pulled tight. The fox took a step. Then another. Its gait steadied fast.Charlie swallowed. His throat felt dry. His stomach twisted. The fox bared its teeth. A low sound came from its chest.Charlie’s knees bent without thought. He lowered his center. His muscles felt pa
CHAPTER 6 — The First Patient
Charlie moved uphill through thin trees and broken stone. Snow lay in patches where the sun did not reach. His boots slid on wet leaves, and he slowed his steps to keep quiet.The air was cold and thin. Wind pushed through the branches and made a low sound. Charlie stopped when he heard something else under it.A faint scrape came from the rocks ahead. It was slow and uneven. He tilted his head and listened again.The sound came again, sharper this time. A short breath followed it. Charlie shifted his weight and moved toward it.He stepped around a fallen log. Rusted metal showed between stones. A steel trap lay half-buried in dirt and ice.A fox lay beside it. One hind leg was caught inside the jaws. The steel was old and rough, stained dark.The fox pulled weakly at the trap. Its body shook with each movement. Its breathing was fast and shallow.Charlie froze. He stood ten steps away and did not move. The fox lifted its head. Its eyes were wide and dull. It bared its teeth and made
CHAPTER 5 — System Rules
The room was dark except for the thin light from the ceiling crack. Dust hung in the air and moved when Charlie shifted his weight.He sat against the wall with his knees bent. His right hand pressed against his left forearm, where the skin was still red and wet.A faint sound ticked near his ear. It was not mechanical. It was flat and even, like a heartbeat with no body.The air in front of him blurred. A pale rectangle formed, sharp at the edges.Charlie froze. His fingers tightened on his sleeve. The rectangle stayed still. White text appeared inside it.[System Interface Unlocked]The words did not flicker. They did not glow. They were simply there.Charlie leaned forward a few inches. His breath stayed slow, but his shoulders lifted. Another line appeared.[User Status: Stable]The ticking sound continued. Charlie turned his head, looking for a source. There was nothing on the walls. No device on the floor.The rectangle shifted to the left, matching his movement. Charlie stopped
CHAPTER 4 — Emergency Treatment
Charlie hits the ground hard and does not pass out. His head strikes stone. His body twists. The air leaves his chest in a sharp burst. The pain comes all at once. It does not fade. It grows.His eyes try to close. They do not. A flat tone sounds near his ears. It is calm. It does not repeat. Light snaps on in front of his face.A red grid fills his vision. Lines cut across his body shape. Small boxes lock onto his limbs and chest.He tries to blink. The grid stays. Another tone sounds. Short. Sharp. Text appears, white on red. “LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS: DENIED.”His jaw tightens. His hands claw at the stone floor. The pain spikes again. Harder. Focused.His back arches. His breath breaks into short gasps. The grid zooms in. His ribs glow bright yellow, then red. A thin line traces one rib. It flashes. “STRUCTURAL MISALIGNMENT DETECTED.”His fingers scrape stone. They leave dark marks. He tried to scream. His mouth opens. No sound comes out. The pain shifts. It presses inward now. It fe
You may also like
The Ultimate Talent Adam Spencer
ShadowKatake34.6K viewsThe Super Doctor Calvin Hudson
Cindy Chen28.5K viewsSUPER FARMING SYSTEM
Shame_less00758.6K viewsAncestral Heir System
Dark Crafter47.3K viewsA Second Chance by the System
Temmyfrosh1.8K viewsGame of the Streets
Papichilow258 viewsSystem Beast Lord
TopazLTE2.4K viewsBounce Back With The Spin System
Pein3.0K views