It was raining again.
Not the soft, cinematic kind that made you want to dance in the street. No. This was the kind of rain that soaked you to the bone, whispered cruel things, and reminded you just how small and invisible you really were.
Lina Vale sat curled on the edge of a public locker room bench at the back of the city's 24-hour bus terminal. Her clothes clung to her skin, damp and heavy. The hoodie she always wore for comfort was now wet and fraying, its sleeves stretched from too many sleepless nights.
She wasn't crying anymore. Not because it didn't hurt—but because the pain had grown roots so deep that even tears had stopped blooming.
Her phone lay on the cold floor beside her. Cracked. Black screen. Dead. Just like her bank account. Just like her future.
She'd tried. God, she'd tried. School. Jobs. Smiling even when she wanted to disappear. Trusting Rina—her childhood friend. The only person she had. The one who had promised they'd escape the system together. Build a life. Be a family.
But promises are cheap.
Rina had stolen what little Lina had saved. Lied to their new employer. Framed her. Left her name blacklisted and reputation ruined.
That morning, the shelter had asked her to leave. Overcrowded, they'd said. Try again next week. Lina didn't argue. She didn't scream. She just walked out, head down, as if her soul had already packed its bags.
Now, she was here. Seventeen hours without food. Her fingers numb. Her mind a mess. Barely twenty years old and already done with the world.
And that's when it happened.
The world… glitched.
Just a flicker. Like static crawling across her vision. She blinked. Once. Twice.
Then—
[SYSTEM ERROR: TOO MUCH PAIN DETECTED]
Lina's heart froze. She looked around, startled. "W-What the hell—"
[Emergency Recovery Protocol Initiated…]
She stumbled back from the bench, hitting her elbow against a cold locker. "Okay… am I dreaming? Delirious? Hallucinating?"
The glowing words remained.
[Welcome, User: Lina Vale]
[Initial Scan Complete. Mental and emotional stress levels: CRITICAL.]
[You are not defective. You are in survival mode.]
"What is this… a prank?" she muttered, frowning. Her instincts screamed danger—but oddly, the voice didn't feel threatening. It felt… calm. Direct.
[This System has been activated due to prolonged exposure to emotional trauma, betrayal, systemic neglect, and social abandonment.]
[Objective: Rebuild. Heal. Rise.]
[Would you like to proceed? Y/N]
Lina stared. Her hands were trembling—but not from fear. It was the recognition. The words hit too close, like someone had peeled back her ribs and read everything buried inside.
"…Yes," she whispered.
[Confirmed. System Booting… Please remain still.]
A soft glow appeared in the corner of her vision—like a hologram overlaying reality. A semi-transparent menu hovered in the air.
>> SYSTEM MENU OPENED <<
> Age: 20
> Emotional Status: Fragile
> Self-Worth: Low
> Confidence: 6%
> Trust Capacity: Locked
> Potential: 91%
> Support Network: None
[Note: User exhibits signs of emotional starvation, internalized guilt, self-blame, unresolved grief, and abandonment fear. Immediate intervention recommended.]
Lina exhaled slowly. "I don't need fixing," she muttered, squaring her shoulders. "I just need a break."
[Correction: You need tools. And you deserve support.]
>> First Task Generated <<
[TASK 001: Identify and Secure Shelter for 24 Hours]
Description: Stability begins with safety. Locate a secure, dry place to stay the night—without begging or compromising your dignity.
Reward: +2 Confidence | +$30 Digital Transfer (Untraceable) | Unlock 'Situational Awareness' Passive Skill
Lina blinked. "That's… serious."
[Funds will be transferred through a rotating proxy algorithm into a digital account. No personal details required. No traceable links. Safe.]
"…This is insane."
Still, she hesitated only a moment longer before slipping on her backpack, light as it was, and stepping into the rain.
[Task Activated. Timer: 8 Hours Remaining.]
[New Feature Unlocked: SYSTEM SUPPORT AI — You may ask questions at any time.]
"…Why me?" she asked aloud, lifting her face toward the clouds.
[Because you're still here. And that means you still matter.]
---
As Lina stood under the broken glow of a flickering streetlight, something shifted inside her. Not hope. Not yet. But something like quiet resistance. Like maybe she wasn't as breakable as they thought.
Somewhere across the city, a sleek black car slowed near a corner, its driver watching the girl with soaked hair and sharp, guarded eyes step forward into the night.
Inside the car, a man in a pressed suit narrowed his gaze. Cold. Measured. Interested.
He didn't know her name yet.
But soon, he would.
And the world would never be the same.