The Three Day Survival Game

Entering the second level, the white void took longer to disappear compared to the previous level. Or maybe it was just me, frozen in place, stuck watching people leave. Karun had already connected the interface and started working on the code. I broke out of my awe-struck state when Gibbard's voice came through the comms, stern and clear, "Kathy, focus!"

His words jolted me into action. I hurried to Karun's side, helping him decode the program. We were given less time before the game started, and every second counted.

But as we feared, we made mistakes. This wasn't as easy as the first level we'd trained for. This was different. It took us more time to decipher the code, and in the end, we couldn't fully decode it before the timer ran out.

The automated voice began calculating our points. "Kathy: 148. Karun: 157. Please choose your weapons wisely."

An array of weapons appeared before us once again. The familiar sense of urgency washed over me, but this time, it was tinged with the frustration of our recent failure. We couldn't afford any more mistakes.

I scanned the weapons, assessing my options carefully. This time, I needed to make sure I chose wisely to balance my combat style and strategic needs.

Uncle Gibbard's voice came through the earbud, clear and steady. "Kathy, remember to balance offense and defense. You need to be able to protect yourself as well as attack."

The camera in my neck piece transmitted my surroundings back to the camp, where the team monitored our progress. The live feed gave them a clear view of the weapons array and our every move.

"Karun, the camera on your collar button shows a rifle that looks promising," Aiden's voice chimed in through the comms. "Check it out. It's on the left."

I nodded, acknowledging Gibbard's advice. I needed something with range and precision. I selected a sniper rifle worth 100 points and a set of throwing knives worth 48 points. They felt right in my hands, the weight reassuring.

Karun chose a high-powered rifle worth 120 points and a pair of combat knives for close encounters, using his remaining 37 points wisely. His movements were confident, guided by Aiden's suggestions and his own instincts.

"Good choices," Gibbard affirmed. "Now, move out and stay sharp. This level won't be forgiving."

The weapons array disappeared, and the environment around us shifted. We found ourselves in a dense jungle, the air humid and thick with the sounds of wildlife. The white void was gone, replaced by the vibrant, challenging terrain of the second level.

"Stay close, Kathy," Karun whispered, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "We need to be ready for anything."

The comms buzzed with updates from the team. "Remember, we'll guide you as much as we can," Daisy said, her voice soothing. "But trust your instincts and each other."

We moved cautiously through the jungle, every step calculated. The hidden cameras in our neck pieces and collar buttons transmitted our progress back to the camp, where the team watched and provided guidance.

The weapons array disappeared as another interface screen popped up, asking for the players' consent.

Rules appeared:

1.Clear all obstacles

2.Bonus points awarded if the player clears unharmed

At the end, there was a checkbox that read "Notify when ambushed." This option only worked for the first two obstacles. After checking it, a consent box appeared where we had to place our palms, signifying our agreement to enter the game.

I looked at Karun, feeling the weight of our situation. We came here to crack the cheat code, but now, with the options disappearing, we knew we were late. We could only get to it again at the end of the level. We were almost there, decoding it—at least halfway. But now, we just had to enter the level and finish to get it done.

Ryan's voice came through the comms, "Great, we recorded the solution, but it only works for halfway, I guess?"

I sighed, "Yes, only if I had started working on it instead of standing frozen, we might've made it."

Karun spoke up, "No, there was no chance for us to get that far."

I looked at him questioningly. He replied, "It's locked. It would only unlock after we clear the two obstacles."

I cursed under my breath. What kind of buzzhead would lock the code we almost tried our wits out just to hack open it, and now there's another firewall?

Ryan spoke again, "It's okay, you've done at least half the part. Go put your palms on the consent screen."

Karun and I looked at each other for another brief moment. Once we did this, we were in. And once we were in, there was no way out except clearing the level.

As we placed our hands on the consent screen, it glowed with green lights. Suddenly, my screen popped back up. Confused, I glanced at Karun's screen, which remained steady. Why mine?

Karun noticed my hesitation. "Maybe yours wasn't recorded properly. Just do it again," he suggested.

I did as he said, and this time my screen glowed blue before turning silver. A voice echoed, "Welcoming the administrator... The game starts in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

Administrator? What administrator thing? But there was no time to ponder as the countdown continued. Trust me, at that moment, I wished the count would stop at 2. Seriously, who invented this 1?

My thoughts were interrupted by the system's voice, "Entering the game."

The white void around us began to darken, first turning grey and then becoming a deep black. Slowly, the surroundings started to form, resembling the first level but with a more ominous atmosphere. The sky was stormy, dark clouds swirling ominously, creating a devilish, nightmarish scene. It looked exactly like the one from my nightmares.