章節 60: Sal Mine & Salt Snakes -VI
Saad's journey home felt like a race against time. As he cycled through the bustling streets of Karachi, the dusty cityscape enveloped him. The air was thick with exhaust fumes, and the clamor of traffic and voices echoed in his ears. The relentless sun beat down on him, casting long shadows on the pavement. It was a world of constant movement and noise, a stark contrast to the quiet solitude he yearned for.
Finally, he arrived at his modest apartment building, a three-story structure nestled amidst a maze of similar buildings. The exterior was painted a faded blue, and the stairs leading up to the second floor bore the marks of countless footsteps. Saad parked his bicycle in the designated area and ascended the staircase, each step groaning underfoot.
Upon entering his small, dimly lit apartment, Saad headed straight for the cot that served as his makeshift bed. He needed a moment to unwind, to shed the fatigue that clung to him like a second skin. The cot creaked as he settled onto it, the coarse fabric of his work clothes rubbing against the woven surface.
His room was sparsely furnished, with peeling paint on the walls and a lone window that barely let in any light. A ceiling fan hung motionless overhead, thanks to the frequent power outages that plagued the city. It was a place where time seemed to stand still, a stark reminder of the unchanging world he had come from.
Saad closed his eyes for a brief breather, the sounds of the city outside filtering in—a symphony of car horns, distant voices, and the occasional sound of the dogs barking. He let himself relax for a moment, relishing the simplicity of the cot and the comfort of solitude.
After a few minutes, Saad stirred. He knew he couldn't linger for too long; there were tasks to complete. Rising from the cot, he made his way to the corner of the room where a large plastic container held his water supply. The water had a faint metallic taste, a reminder of the city's aging pipes.
With a worn-out cloth, he splashed his face and neck, the cool water providing a brief respite from the day's heat and dust. Droplets trickled down his face and dripped onto the cracked tiles below. Saad took a moment to stare at his reflection in a small, grimy mirror hanging on the wall. His brown eyes met his gaze, tired but determined.
Next came the ritual of changing out of his work clothes. Saad exchanged his dusty, sweat-soaked garments for a more worn-out pair of kameez shalwar, faded with time and use. The simple act of changing brought a semblance of comfort, as if shedding the weight of the outside world.
A sense of purpose guided him to the cramped kitchen area. The kitchen was a tiny alcove with barely enough room for one person to maneuver. It held the essentials—a small stove, a few pots and pans, and a countertop cluttered with jars of spices. The scent of spices lingered in the air, an aromatic reminder of countless meals cooked in this confined space.
Saad set to work making roti, kneading the dough with practiced hands. The flour formed a small cloud around him as he rolled out the dough into thin, circular shapes. The sizzle of the roti hitting the hot griddle was a familiar sound, one that resonated with memories of home.
As the roti cooked, he moved on to the potato curry. The spices filled the kitchen with an intoxicating aroma—cumin, coriander, and a hint of chili powder. The sound of sizzling onions and garlic filled the air, and the potatoes simmered in a rich, fragrant gravy.
But his calm cooking time was interrupted as Haroon and Amir arrived home. Amir wasted no time in making his presence known. "Don't bother making roti for me," he said dismissively.
Saad furrowed his brow, his patience wearing thin. It wasn't as if he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart. Today happened to be his day to cook. "Whatever suits you," Saad replied curtly, his voice tinged with frustration. He had no intention of catering to Amir's whims, not today.
Haroon, caught in the middle of this silent feud, sighed heavily. He had long grown weary of being the intermediary between Saad and Amir. As the two ate their meals in silence, tension hung in the air like a heavy cloud.
Once the meal was finished, Saad retreated to his room, shutting the door firmly behind him. He wasted no time in shedding his worn-out clothes, exposing his slightly olive-toned skin. His VR suit, a stark contrast to the simplicity of his surroundings, awaited him.
Saad carefully donned the VR suit, each piece fitting snugly against his body. He adjusted the straps and made sure the sensors were in place. Then, he reached for the VR headset, a portal to a world far removed from the confines of his apartment.
With the headset in place, he lay down on his cot and activated the touch-sensitive button on the side. The world around him dissolved, and soon, he found himself immersed in the virtual realm of the game. It was a world where the limitations of his reality no longer applied, a world where he could be someone else, somewhere else.
As the game enveloped him, Saad's thoughts of dust and monotony faded away, replaced by the allure of adventure and possibility.
--------------------------------------
As Saad re-entered the game, the familiar sights and sounds of the safe room greeted him. The walls of shimmering salt crystals stood tall, and the eerie silence that enveloped the chamber was a stark contrast to the cacophony of the outside world. It was a place of refuge, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the salt mine.
A notification message appeared before him, signaling the start of the second day in the salt mine. Saad acknowledged it with a quick glance, not dwelling on the message. He had a goal in mind—one that involved confronting the salt critters once again.
Venturing towards the gathering point, Saad's heart quickened as he neared the spot where the salt critters had previously congregated. But what he encountered left him momentarily stunned. It wasn't just the sheer number of salt critters that had increased; their levels had also risen.
The lowest level, which had been 5, had now surged to 6. Even more concerning was that the highest level, formerly 7, had escalated to a formidable 8. The memory of the salt snake, a level 25 creature, loomed in Saad's mind. If these critters had leveled up, what about him? Had his own level increased during his absence?
Shaking off his worries, Saad realized he couldn't dwell on that now. Time was ticking, and he had hours left before he needed to log out. With determination, he gathered a few rocks from the ground, preparing to lure the salt critters once more.
As he hurled the rocks into the distance, the critters soon caught sight of him and began their relentless pursuit. However, something was different this time—they were faster than before, their agile forms closing the distance between them and Saad with alarming speed.
Without hesitation, Saad turned and sprinted back towards the safety of the room, his heart pounding in his chest. The critters were hot on his heels, and it was becoming increasingly challenging to outpace their enhanced speed.
Inside the safety of the room, he knew he couldn't afford to waste any time. Saad reached for his trusty whip, his fingers curling around its leather handle. With a swift and practiced motion, he lashed out at the approaching salt critters, striking them with precision.
But that was not enough. Saad needed more firepower, something to deal significant damage and thin out their numbers. He decided to unleash his [Whip Snap] skill, an attack that had served him well the day before.
The whip crackled through the air, delivering a powerful sonic boom as it struck the salt critters. The effect was immediate and satisfying. The critters were knocked back, their health bars diminishing rapidly. Saad repeated the skill, each [Whip Snap] skill landing with a burst of damage.
His strategy was clear: inflict as much damage as possible while maintaining a safe distance from the relentless horde. The experience points he gained from defeating them steadily climbed, and he knew he had to level up as much as he could before the time to log out arrived.
The salt critters, now faster and stronger, posed a greater challenge, but Saad was determined to meet it head-on. Time was ticking, and he couldn't afford to falter. So he used his skill continuously. He had noticed that unlike how skill points are needed to learn a skill, here you just buy the skill and then automatically learn it. You also didn't need any proficiency requirements to meet to level up the skill. Most importantly, he had vitality and arcane points. What could be better?
-- 收到的禮物 
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票