The final bell at Oakridge Middle was a prison break siren. Kids exploded into the hallway, a chaotic river of backpacks and shouts. Li Wei pressed himself against a locker, trying to be invisible. It never worked.
"Hey, Chopsticks! Forgot your math homework again?" Brad Jenkins, all bulky eighth-grade linebacker swagger, slammed his palm against the locker next to Li's head, making it rattle. His crony, Derek, snickered. Li flinched, his worn copy of To Kill a Mockingbird slipping from his grasp. It hit the linoleum with a thud.
"Oops," Brad grinned, stepping on the book. "Clumsy much?" He shoved Li hard. Li stumbled back, crashing into another locker, the sharp corner digging into his ribs. Pain flared, hot and familiar. Laughter echoed. Heat flooded Li's face – shame and helpless fury. Why? Why am I always the target? The thought screamed in his head, louder than the hallway noise. Just because I'm new? Because I'm quiet? Because I'm... Chinese?
[SYSTEM INITIATING... HOST SIGNAL DETECTED: EXTREME DISTRESS/UNMET POTENTIAL...]
Li froze. The words weren't heard; they appeared, shimmering in blue, translucent text right in front of his eyes. Like a high-tech HUD in a video game. Brad and Derek were still laughing, oblivious.
[SYSTEM BOUND TO HOST: LI WEI. SCANNING...]
A rectangular panel materialized, hovering in his vision:
**HOST STATUS**
Name: Li
Age: 14
Level: 1 (0/100 XP)
HP: 85/100 (Mild Contusion - Ribs)
Intelligence (INT): 12 (Average)
Strength (STR): 8 (Below Average)
Agility (AGI): 9 (Below Average)
Defense (DEF): 7 (Poor)
Perception (PER): 11 (Average)
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Status Effects: Bullied (Morale -10%), Isolated
Pathetic. The numbers screamed it. Especially that DEF 7. No wonder every shove hurt so much.
[INITIAL ASSESSMENT: HOST CONDITION - CRITICAL (SOCIAL/PHYSICAL). PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: SURVIVAL & GROWTH. NEWBIE QUEST ISSUED!]
[QUEST: STAND YOUR GROUND!]
Objective: Meet Brad Jenkins' eyes for a minimum of 5 seconds. Do not look away first.
Reward: +100 XP, +1 STR, Skill: [Stubborn Resolve Lv.1] (Temporarily boosts DEF when facing intimidation)
Failure: Continued Status Effect: Bullied (Intensified)
Li's heart hammered against his bruised ribs. Meet Brad's eyes? For five seconds? That felt more dangerous than the shove. Brad noticed Li staring, his grin faltering into a confused scowl. "Whatcha lookin' at, freak?"
The five seconds stretched like eternity. Sweat trickled down Li's temple. Every instinct screamed to look down, to submit. But the blue panel pulsed, a silent dare. *100 XP. +1 STR. Something... anything.* He locked onto Brad's sneering face. One Mississippi... Two Mississippi... Li felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest, pushing back against the fear.
Brad shifted uncomfortably. "Stop starin', weirdo!" He raised a fist half-heartedly, but the threat felt hollow now. Li didn't flinch. Three... Four... Five.
[QUEST COMPLETE!]
Rewards Claimed:
+100 XP (Level Up! Level 2 Achieved!)
+1 STR (New STR: 9)
Skill Unlocked: [Stubborn Resolve Lv.1] (DEF +2 when facing intimidation attempts)
HP: 90/100
A surge of warmth, stronger this time, flooded Li's body. The ache in his ribs lessened slightly. He felt... firmer. Grounded. Brad stared, thrown off by the sudden lack of flinching. "Whatever," he muttered, shoving past Li roughly, Derek trailing after him with a confused glance.
Li leaned against the locker, breathing hard. Not from fear. From exhilaration. The blue panel shimmered.
[LEVEL UP! All Stats +0.5!]
[NEW QUEST: THE LONG WALK HOME. Objective: Walk home without looking over your shoulder more than twice.]
Li picked up his book, a ghost of a defiant smile touching his lips. The pain was still there. The fear wasn't gone. But something else was there now, crackling beneath his skin. A system. A path. A way out. He straightened his shoulders, the new point in STR making the movement feel less like defeat. He walked towards the exit, eyes forward. Game on.